Undercover
by punklau
Summary: She cleans up the mess. He figures out why. Working for two completely different sides, when these two people clash do they have it in them to understand one another. Is there a deeper meaning and reason to the actions they take? When their worlds collide will they join forces or run away? (AU) Explicit language, chapters of a dangerous and sexual nature.
1. On The Job

**On The Job**

* * *

"I've never been with a woman before." A brunette said breathlessly, stumbling back into a room as a blonde followed, pressing her lips against hers passionately.

"You'll never look at another penis again." The blonde smiled, cupping her cheeks roughly and kissing her like she'd ever been kissed before.

The brunette kicked her heels off, backing into the hotel room as the backs of her legs hit the bed, "Did my speech go ok?" She asked as the blonde stepped back and took her t-shirt off, "Did you see it?"

"Shut up and stop talking." The blonde shook her head, pushing her back and climbing over her, kissing her again on the lips. The brunette ran her hands up the blondes toned stomach, touching her breasts over her bra as the blonde laughed to herself.

"You're so gentle." The blonde smirked a little, "You can squeeze them, they won't break. I like it rough" She nodded, kissing her neck as the brunette smiled, squeezing her breasts whilst kissing her shoulder.

"What's your name? You never told me?" The brunette asked, a little tipsy. The sound music could be heard from downstairs in the function where an important gathering had taken place, "How long have you worked at the hotel?"

"Stop. Talking." The blonde murmured, kissing her neck, feeling the brunettes hands going inside her pants as she laughed a little, "Eager." The blonde smiled, continuing to kiss her neck whilst the brunette touched her.

The blonde however was so disconnected to the moment that even the feeling of being touched through her panties wasn't distracting her. She kept her eye under the pillow where she'd came upstairs earlier on to plant a gun.

She reached forward, feeling the girls mouth on her neck, taking the gun tightly with experience, holding it against her head and pulling the trigger as the air got sucked out of the room, suddenly hovering on top of a dead body as she straddled her and sighed to herself.

"Oh, what a mess." The blonde sighed sarcastically, getting off of the body and onto her feet, looking at the blood on her arm, "You got me all messy." She shook her head, kneeling down on the floor and pulling the suitcase out from under the bed, opening it up and pulling out the red haired wig and a dress.

She stripped out of her clothes, taking her blonde wig off and shaking her dark hair out with a loud sigh of relief.

She got into a completely new outfit, looking in the mirror, adjusting the new wig on herself.

"Tits." She pushed her breasts up in the dress, tilting her head as she looked at herself, "No tits." She released her hands, "What do you think?" She turned back to the dead body on the bed, sniggering to herself as she fixed herself and packed her things back up.

She grabbed the gun she had used, placing it in the brunettes hand on the bed before stepping back and taking a look, tilting her head at the scene, "I have to catch a flight, my love." She nodded, grabbing her suitcase and kicking it up onto its wheels, walking over to the window and climbing out onto the fire escape into the cold night in London.

* * *

"We have another dead body. Clara Francis. She's the owner of a large beauty franchise." A man nodded, standing in a small room with a few other CIA workers. A large board behind him with different cases and information pinned to it, "Also in charge of a drug cartel." The man said as the room nodded in realisation.

"How'd it happen?" A girl asked, sat at her computer.

"Shot in the head. Cops are saying it's a suicide but it's the third in one week and… we got someone who said they saw her go upstairs with a blonde woman." The man nodded, sticking up pictures of the crime scene.

"Shit." Dean Ambrose, a dirty blonde haired tech operator cringed as he sat at his desk, taking his headphones off as he looked on at the pictures.

"Shit indeed." The man at the board nodded, his tattooed hands sticking the pictures up.

"Phil what is the likelihood of these actually being connected?" The girl, Eve Torres, asked.

"Well we know that the drugs she was running were supposed to be shipped out to Moscow. And where was our last murder? Ah… Moscow." He pointed on the board as Eve just made a face at him, "I think it's a female we're looking for."

"No way does a girl get away with all of this." Dean laughed to himself as Eve folded her arms and looked at him.

"Why? Because men are more capable?" Eve raised a brow as Dean just swung around on his chair back to his computer to avoid answering, "Why do you think it's a girl?" She asked Phil Brooks, or Punk to his friends, who was standing by the board.

"It's clean." Punk shrugged.

"Clean?" Seth Rollins piped up from the back of the room behind a computer, "Clean?" He stood up and made his way to the board, "This man got stabbed in the eye." He pointed to a section on their board, "This is not clean killing."

"Actually it is." Punk said, "Compared to things we've seen before in the past. Plus, if someone saw a blonde woman go upstairs with this new victim then… there we go." Punk nodded.

"This has Russian intelligence written all over it." Dean piped up from his corner.

"You know we're not allowed to say that." Punk scoffed.

"Well I just did. Whoever it is, is working for them. Every country has its cover ups. I mean, we all know that." He looked at them all as they just nodded.

"This is someone who knows what they're doing." Punk said.

"All the victims are criminals." Eve said, "What if it's just some rogue hero-"

"Eve, shut up." Seth called over as Eve turned around, "Don't be calling this heinous human being a hero." He said.

"I'm just saying. It's better than killing innocent people." She said, "These people are criminals, people who are bad people. Very bad in some cases." She looked over to the board.

"That's not a good reason for us to ignore it." Punk said, "Plus, there's a bigger reason as to why they're being killed. Why someone is killing them. Most likely to cover their own ass. Dean might be right, could be intelligence. Could be fucking MI5 for all we know." He nodded, "But our job is to find whoever it is."

"How do you suggest we do that when we're all here in Virginia and the last victim was in London." Dean said.

"We're going to fucking London then, aren't we?" Punk said, throwing a scrunched up piece of paper over at him as Eve just rolled her eyes and turned around, "Don't bring a suitcase Eve, it'll just be one night." He teased.

"I hate all of you." Eve shook her head, looking into her computer as Punk patted her head on the way over to his desk where they worked in secret, undertaking covert operations to do with foreign intelligence around the world. In other words, they were pretty smart individuals who were pretty important.

* * *

"I said make it look like a suicide." A man said with frustration in his Russian accent, sitting at his desk as the now red haired woman strolled around the office, "And why are you dressed like that?"

"Like what?" The girl frowned, "You don't like it." She asked, turning around, shaking her ass deliberately as the man placed his hand over his face, "It did look like suicide." She shrugged.

"Just because you put a gun in her hand doesn't mean people will think it's suicide." Adrien White said, sitting in a suit, "The police have been told by a witness that a blonde woman went to her room with her."

"Am I blonde?!" The girl smacked her hands down on the desk as she leaned over a little as Adrien looked up at her, "No." She whispered.

"These past few jobs, you've been slipping." Adrien said.

"No. I haven't." The girl argued, taken offence.

"You knifed a man's eye." Adrien said.

"He was rude to me." The girl frowned, "Where is my money?" She yawned and stretched.

"No money this time." Adrien shook his head as the girl glared at him with wide eyes, "Not until you do this next job." He said, handing her over a folder as she went to grab it, only for him to pull it away.

"Don't tease." She smirked.

"Don't fuck it up." Adrien said, "You're supposed to be a spy-"

"I am not a spy." The girl laughed hysterically, "Is that what you tell people?" She smiled at him.

"That's what you are." Adrien nodded.

"No. I do your dirty work for you." The girl said.

"No." Adrien said in a louder tone, "You bring information to us and then you take care of the drought left behind, anything that might hurt the country. These people are dangerous. You're doing us a service." He nodded as the girl just smiled.

"If that's what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night." She nodded, "The truth is. I bring you information so you can suss out who knows things they shouldn't. And then I take care of it because no one else is willing to. I take care of things that will make your country, your president, look like a corrupt bastard." She smiled, "That's what I do. I'm not a fucking spy." She cackled loudly, "I want my money now." Her laugh stopped immediately as she looked at him, leaning over the desk as he looked at her.

"April, no." He spat as the girl raised her eyebrows, looking on at the framed picture of Adrien's wife on his desk, grabbing it and sitting it in front of her, "I'll pay Misses White a visit." She eyed him, kissing the frame as Adrien grabbed it, "And I'll tell her you always stare at my tits." She stood up and walked over to her suitcase, "Oh and then I'll kill her." She smiled.

"No, you'll just do your job. All of this a luxury for you. Being outside is a luxury for you. Don't you forget that." Adrien spat as April Jeanette Mendez, which she was rarely referred to after all the fake names she'd sported, looked across at him.

"I deserve my money." She spat, "I do my job. I get it done." She hissed, "So until you pay me, I'll be at my apartment, having a bath." She thought to herself and nodded, heading for the door as Adrien sighed.

"Wait." Adrien said as April, or AJ as she grew up as, paused and smirked to herself.

"What?" AJ smiled, turning around as she watched him bring out two lumps of cash, thousands, "You know just how to turn me on." She smirked, dumping her case and walking over to him to snatch the money as he pulled it away along with the folder.

"This next job… do as your told. No having fun. No sex. No partying. No dressing up-"

"But that's what spies do, my love." AJ smiled at him.

"You just argued and said-"

"I'll have it done." AJ said, snatching the folder and the money from him, walking over and kicking her suitcase flat on the ground, unzipping it and putting the folder and cash in.

"The job is in Poland. Flight tickets are in there. Tomorrow night you leave." He said as AJ nodded, zipping the suitcase back up.

"What type of filth am I disposing?" She smiled, getting to her feet.

"Someone who knows about the organisations conspires with the nineteen group. We don't want anyone getting to know about that. He's an ex gang member, former hitman, I'm sure you'll have fun with that. You can read all about him when you're… in the bath." He rolled his eyes as AJ laughed and nodded.

"Yes, I will." She pointed to him, "Goodbye, my love." She blew a kiss to him as Adrien shook his head and watched her leave the office.

* * *

 **A/N: New one here. I know it seems a little dramatic and of course it's all fiction. I just thought it'd be nice to have a change in characters personalities kinda. I've wrote so many stories and I feel some are pretty similar with how AJ and Punk are portrayed so hopefully this will give a different feel and also a different plot. Let me know what you think!**


	2. Careful

**Careful**

* * *

"According to the manager, no blonde people work here but one of the guests said there was a blonde girl serving tables. I asked her for a description. She just said small and blonde." Punk shrugged, standing outside the hotel which their last dead body was found.

"So she's just appeared in a waiter's outfit for the night to get to the girl?" Dean questioned, smoking his cigarette as Punk nodded.

"Yeah. Similar to the body a few weeks ago in the hospital. Last person to be seen was a nurse but when others described her… they didn't recognise a member of staff looking like that." Punk shrugged.

"So it's gotta be a girl then." Eve nodded.

"I think so." Punk said.

"Just because a woman has appeared in all of these scenarios doesn't mean she's killed. It might not even be the same woman." Seth said.

"I just got a feeling." Punk shrugged.

"Forensics says the body had no struggle." Dean said, putting out his cigarette and standing on it, "But the gunshot wound went horizontal through her head. Whoever killed her had to have been at a strange angle to do that without any notice or struggle." He said, "Since she was lying on a bed I'm thinking she was shot during sex." He shrugged.

"She had all her clothes on." Punk said.

"Well pre-sex then." Dean nodded, "And she's straight. So there goes your female theory."

"How do you know she's straight?" Eve questioned.

"Because I done my research on the plane, Eve." Dean said, "She was married to a man for twelve years. Divorced last night." He nodded.

"She might not have been killed during sex." Punk shook his head, "Her back could have been turned. It takes a few seconds to aim a gun and fire-"

"If you're experienced." Seth said, "A shot like that so precise is gonna be made by someone who knows what they're doing."

"So… not a female." Dean said.

"Enough with the sexism, Ambrose." Eve pushed him, "Females are capable of killing people too. We're not all nice."

"God, I know you're not all nice. I see you every day." Dean shook his head.

"Quit being kids." Punk rolled his eyes, used to their bickering with one another, "I'm going back up to the room. Stay here and don't cause any trouble." He warned them, walking back into the hotel and upstairs to the crime scene which of course was shut off.

He showed his CIA ID to get access to the room, walking on in as he looked around.

"Did any DNA come back from the gun?" Punk asked a cop standing around.

"Just the victim." The cop nodded, "And the blonde hair we found on the carpet gave us nothing." He said.

"How can it give you nothing?" Punk questioned.

"Not sure. Maybe this person doesn't exist or… it was a wig." The cop shrugged, "Whoever it is hasn't left a single trace of its presence anywhere." He said as Punk nodded, looking around the room.

He tried to picture himself in the room, but it was hard when they knew very little of what happened and how things happened.

He then walked over to the window, opening it up as he looked down at the fire escape.

"Hey, when someone said they saw a blonde chick come upstairs with Clara, did anyone see her after that time?" Punk asked.

"No, but we can ask." The cop nodded.

"Yeah, do that." Punk nodded, "And let me know." He said.

"What are you doing?" The cop questioned as he watched Punk climb out the fire escape.

"I'm just… going out the fire escape." Punk shrugged, climbing down the stairs, looking around about him, trying to put himself in their suspects head, getting to the bottom and looking around.

He followed the narrow alleyway out onto the street, looking around for any sort of cameras that may have picked up on their suspect, but he couldn't see any. A hard part of their job was that things normally took a lot of time, and he didn't have a lot of patience. He supposed that's why he was always determined to figure it out.

* * *

"You speak English?" AJ asked her target as she liked to call them, sitting at a bar with him, wearing a dress and a black wig with a fringe.

"Yes." The man, Albert, nodded.

"Good because I need some help with directions." AJ smiled sweetly as the man nodded, obviously interested in her, "You think you could help me?" She asked, stirring her martini around which she refused to drink of course.

"Of course, madam." Albert smiled.

"Oh, good." AJ nodded, "How do I go about going from here to… your place of residence?" She smirked at him as he raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"I can, definitely show you that." Albert nodded, "If you want to finish your drink-"

"No, let's just go right now." AJ smiled, getting off the stool delicately as the man smirked to himself and got up, leading her out of the bar.

She didn't just happen to appear and find her targets. She had to research their files. Know their whereabouts and of course know how to get away with things. Strictly speaking she didn't need to dress up but it did spark confusion at times and she also had a lot of fun doing it.

She followed her target home, chuckling to herself at how excited he was. It boggled her how persuaded men could be by a single smile from a female. She listened to him ramble on about things until they got to the house.

"Could I get you a drink?" He asked her as she smiled.

"I'd love one." AJ nodded.

He nodded and walked away down the hall. She folded her arms and huffed with boredom. She lifted her dress up and grabbed the gun from the strap on her thigh, walking down the hall and standing at the kitchen door.

"Ice?" Albert turned around as AJ raised her gun, pulling the trigger immediately as he went down, shot dead.

"No ice." AJ rolled her eyes, stepping over his body and looking down at him, "I didn't even want to play with you." She frowned sadly and huffed like a child, walking around the kitchen, opening up the fridge and grabbing some food out of it to eat, grabbing some chips and digging into them as she leaned over the kitchen counter. Sometimes it became underwhelming.

She walked back over the body, leaning down and searching his pockets, taking out his wallet and looking into it, taking whatever cash he had and throwing the wallet down on the ground.

"You won't be needing that." She smiled.

* * *

"I made it look like a… mugging gone wrong." AJ shrugged, sitting in Adrien's office. She didn't know anyone else other than Adrien. She was kept in the dark. She knew nothing about who she worked for. She was just given her files, her targets, and off she went.

"Good." Adrien said, "No sex?" He nodded.

"He wasn't my type." AJ shrugged innocently as Adrien just shook his head, "Where is my money?" She smiled to him.

"You'll get it." Adrien said, "I can't give you another target right now."

"Why?" AJ sat up angrily.

"Well the CIA are all over your work in London." Adrien said, "The last thing we need is you getting caught."

"Uh… they can't catch me. I don't exist." She smiled, "Right?" She made sure.

"Right." Adrien said, "But they can still find you." He nodded.

"I'm doing them a damn service. These people are dangerous people." AJ nodded, "They could ruin and damage a lot of things." She said.

"For us. For Russian intelligence. We're covering our own asses." Adrien reminded her, "They're right to be all over it. Especially when it's foreign killings." He said, "Don't be worried. It's normal."

"Then don't tell me." AJ hissed, "Why can't you tell me more?" She frowned, "About why I'm doing this?"

"To protect us from corruption and being exposed. Our work with the 19 group is bad news. All of these people you're… disposing, they have connections and knowledge about it, so we have to eliminate that, and you have to bring us information on what they know-"

"I haven't brought information from the last two." AJ said.

"The last two we… didn't need any information from." Adrien said, "And you're doing this because you're very talented." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"Sweet." She leaned back on her chair, "Why can't you give me my next target?" She frowned.

"I want to let things calm down. I need to know what the CIA find." Adrien said.

"So you want me to go back to London?" She smiled.

"God no." Adrien said, "No, you don't go near them. They'll sniff you out from a mile away."

"They know my scent?" AJ tilted her head as Adrien just glared at her, "Don't be so boring. Let me go and see who they are." She smiled.

"No, April." Adrien said firmly.

"Well then give me my next target. Or at least tell me who it is." She said as Adrien nodded, handing her over the folder as she opened it up, "Mister Carter Fischer." She read.

"Drug cartel. I need you to find out what he knows about nineteen." Adrien nodded, "And then do what you do best." He said as AJ looked at the file.

"Germany." She nodded to herself, "Lucky I speak German." She smiled.

"You speak ten different languages." Adrien scoffed.

"I don't speak Polish and you sent me there." She frowned, "I was scared."

"I'm sure you were." Adrien nodded sarcastically.

"Show me these CIA people." AJ said, sitting down the file, "I want to see them." She nodded.

"Why?" Adrien said.

"Just show me." AJ demanded as Adrien got onto his laptop, turning it around as AJ looked at the people at the hotel, her eyes fixed on them to remember their faces, "Mmm… who is that one?" She smirked, pointing to the screen as Adrien zoomed in.

"Phil Brooks. Been working with the CIA for ten years. He found the group behind those Assassinations in Saudi 3 years ago." Adrien said, a level of fear in his voice that AJ noticed.

"He looks delicious." AJ smirked as Adrien rolled his eyes and turned his laptop back around, "What?" She laughed, "There's four of them? What are they going to do? Find me overnight? No." She said.

"Well you just have to be careful. No more mess. No more fun. Just do the job and get out." Adrien said, "You know what happens if you don't do your job right." He eyed her as AJ's face faded out a little.

No more playful look in her eyes, fear washing over her as she simply nodded to him.

"Good." Adrien smiled, "Now go… go look over this." He handed her over the file, "And stay put until I call you." He warned her as she just nodded.

"Fine." AJ said, standing up from the chair, "You know where I'll be. Just don't barge in without knocking again like last time."

"When I barged into your threesome you mean?" He raised a brow.

"Yes, that was rude." AJ shook her head with a smile.

"Just get out of here." Adrien shook his head as AJ smiled and left the office, banging the door shut behind her as she looked into the file with the plane tickets.

She pulled out her phone and called a cab to pick her up and take her to the airport.


	3. Stray

**Stray**

* * *

"I asked the cops. No one saw a blonde waitress after a certain point in the night. She disappeared which… is obviously when she disappeared upstairs with our victim." Punk said.

"Why are we here?" Dean asked, sitting against a desk as they were given a room with a secret location.

"Mi5 hooked us up." Punk shrugged, "I think we should stay in London until… we find a little more to go on with." He nodded, "Spend closer time to the case." He said as Eve nodded.

"Yeah I agree." Eve nodded, "But whilst you were talking to the police we… got word of another dead body." Eve smiled nervously as Punk rolled his eyes, watching her walk up the board they had been given, "In Poland. Shot in the chest." She said, sticking the pictures up, "This man was an ex-gang member. Notorious group in Warsaw. He apparently murdered eighteen people in the space of 3 years." She said, reading off her folio on her ipad.

"Why all these people?" Punk put his hands on his hips as he looked at the board.

They had relocated to an office type room in London, thanks to their connections with intelligence there. They were all used to moving on the job and spending time in different countries, so it wasn't a big deal. They immediately set up their stations in their office and made it their own, wherever they went.

"Yeah, what have they got in common?" Dean asked, sitting on a swirling chair as he spun around, "I doubt this is the one person. The deaths are different every time." He said, "Maybe it's not linked at all. Maybe these people are dead and… it's for different reasons. It's a possibility."

"Or it's an assassin who is being ordered to kill these people because they all know something that could ruin someone's life. Someone high up on the pedestal, if you know what I mean?" He looked at them all.

"Russia." Seth coughed from the back as Punk raised a brow, "What? You know how they take care of things over there. They train people to take out people who know things they shouldn't, about their government." He said, "America do it too, ok. We're not all innocent."

"Well then what are they hiding?" Eve asked, "What could all of these people possibly have in common? Why would… Albert from Poland know the same information as Clara from London?" She pointed.

"What do they all have in common?" Punk asked them.

"They're all criminals." Dean nodded.

"Exactly." Punk said, "So maybe they were all… conspiring with someone illegally, and that someone got worried and wants them dead-"

"That someone is a government somewhere." Seth nodded, "I know license to kill when I see one."

"No one has that." Punk scoffed, "This is someone who knows what they're doing, who is clearly doing it for a reason, money or… I don't know, something." He said, "It's who is behind the killings that we want-"

"I mean we should probably try and catch the person killing these people." Seth made a face, "Not to be dramatic but… they seem pretty dangerous."

"Give me everything on the Poland murder." Punk nodded, walking over to Eve whilst Dean and Seth turned around and got back to working on the cases.

* * *

AJ walked into a house party in Germany. She stood at the door, watching as beautiful people walked around in wonderful outfits. She hummed to herself, taking a snack from the man standing with a tray of finger food.

"Thank you." AJ smiled sweetly, walking through the house, taking a bite of the food and making a funny face, "God." She spat it back out into her hand, looking around as she spotted a woman sitting down with her purse beside her on the floor.

She walked over, crouching down discretely and putting the spat out food in the purse, standing back up straight and wandering away.

She walked around the large house, looking for her target, finally spotting him as she tried to make eye contact with him. She'd wore her best dress, her favourite wig, and was really trying hard with this one.

She watched him notice her as she smirked at him, waving softly as he raised his eyebrows.

She strolled off towards the start of the staircase, watching as he walked around the corner, tilting his head as he looked across at her.

She smiled to him, a signature she had perfected over the years, her eyes looking straight into his as she began to climb the stairs, louring him up after her as she smiled to herself, looking straight ahead.

She reached the top of the stairs, walking through the grand corridor, making her way into a room, leaving the door open deliberately as she turned around, waiting as she watched him walk through the door.

"Hi." AJ widened her eyes with a smile.

"You… You are my birthday present?" He walked over to her as she smiled.

"Oh, I… I didn't know it was your birthday." She smiled sweetly, "This is your party?" She asked as he nodded.

"You're American?" He asked.

"Sometimes." AJ smiled, "This is your house?" She asked, watching him get closer to her.

"Yes." The man smiled, "My bedroom." He looked around with a smile as AJ nodded.

"I see." She nodded, "So are you ready for your birthday present?" She smirked as he nodded, grabbing hold of her waist as she looked at his hand on her and tilted her head a little angrily, "Mmm." She hummed angrily, "Close your eyes." She whispered, looking up at him as he nodded.

She watched as he closed his eyes, rolling her own as she pulled her gun out, aiming at him and pulling the trigger as she watched him fall to the ground.

"It's rude to grab women like that." AJ pouted, kneeling down beside him and looking at his opened eyes, leaning down to his face, "Happy birthday." She whispered, kissing his cheek and standing back up, walking out of the room and rushing down the stairs and straight out of the door.

* * *

"Maybe you should call it a night." Eve said, looking over at Punk sat at his desk, "We're gonna go for food. You should come." She nodded.

"I'm ok." Punk nodded to her, "I just wanna keep working on this." He said as Eve nodded.

"You think we'll find who it is?" Eve asked him as Punk leaned back against his chair and sighed, running his hands over his slicked hair.

"I don't know. They're getting away with a lot of stuff." He nodded worriedly.

"Usually things like this we find that… we're all working for the same people." Eve said, "What this person is doing is something we'd do-"

"Eve, c'mon." Punk said, "These are bad assassinations. Made by the same person-"

"How do you know it's the same person?" She asked.

"I just have a feeling." Punk sighed, "And I think someone is hiring someone to go do their dirty work. Someone doesn't want whatever these people knew, to get out." Punk nodded as Eve folded her arms.

"Who would it possibly be? We've got connections with the governments. They always make us aware of these things." She said.

"Which makes me think the government is obviously trying to cover their asses." Punk nodded, "I think Seth might be right."

"With what?" Eve asked.

"Clara… she was moving her drugs to Moscow before she was killed. The first body was found in Moscow. Every one of these people that have been murdered have made a trip to Moscow in the last six months."

"How'd you find that out?" Eve asked, sitting down beside him as he showed her, "Oh gosh." She raised her eyebrows, "So you think this is Russia's Intelligence?" She asked him.

"That or it's a coincidence." Punk said, "And I swear it's a female." He shook his head.

"Why? What makes it different? How can you tell the difference?" Eve asked.

"It's not messy. No one else is getting hurt. It's the one victim and it's quick and it's precise." Punk nodded, "Females are good at that stuff." He said.

"That's just your speculation, though." Eve said.

"I went onto some of the guests social medias at Clara's speech, at the hotel here in London." Punk said, "I looked around at some of the pictures and I found this." He said, showing her the picture he'd printed off as Eve looked at it.

"This is the blonde waitress?" Eve asked, looking on at AJ in the background of a picture, holding a bucket of ice with wine in it, "She's looking directly at the camera." She noticed as Punk nodded.

"It looks like the most illegitimate blonde hair I've ever seen." Punk nodded, "She must wear wigs, change her appearance all the time." He said as Eve looked at the picture, "The staff at the hotel said they didn't know who she was." He looked at Eve who sighed.

"How do you know it was her who killed the others?" Eve asked.

"I don't." Punk said, "But look at her." He said, "She looks focused. She's not there to serve people drinks." He said as Eve nodded.

"Do we put it up?" Eve asked him as he nodded.

"I think so." Punk nodded, "It's gotta be something." He said as Eve nodded, taking the picture and sticking up on the board, circling in red pen around AJ.

"Come on then." Eve sighed, "Come have food with us. Don't make me mom you like I have to do with the other two." She said as Punk smiled and nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded. He knew it wasn't healthy to not take a break. He'd learned that from past experiences. Finding a balance of relaxing and working was important, especially for the work they had to look into.

* * *

Meanwhile outside AJ stood across at a bus stop, her hood up with sun glasses on, watching as Punk and Eve came out of the office. She took her sun glasses off and watched them as they locked the door to the little outlet office they had which was no doubt secretly coded and locked.

She watched them walking down the street, her eyes narrowing as she followed them until they were out of sight. She heard her phone ringing in her pocket and picked it up.

"What?" She answered Adrien.

"Where the hell are you?" Adrien spat.

"I'm in London." AJ shrugged.

"Oh, so you're not in Germany where Carter was killed a few hours ago? The man I told you not to move on yet." Adrien said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." AJ shook her head, walking down the street as she got her eyes back on Punk and Eve again.

"April, what are you doing in London? Get your ass back here." Adrien spat.

"I'm just watching." AJ said, "He's so pretty to look at." She huffed.

"Don't go anywhere near those CIA spies, I'm warning you. You could blow this for everyone." Adrien spat.

"I'm not gonna do anything." AJ scoffed, "I'm… gonna take some pictures, wait a minute." She said, bringing up her camera, zooming in and taking pictures of Punk and Eve walking down the street, "So I can jerk off later." AJ spoke into the phone with a smile.

"Quit it." Adrien said, "Get your ass back here. You're off any missions until further notice. That's it. I told you not to go to Germany yet."

"I have a job to do." AJ gritted her teeth, "You taught me that. You told me the job is the most important thing. More important than life itself." AJ said, "So I am doing my job." She spat into the phone, "Ok?" She said in a more calmer tone.

"Just get back on a flight so I can talk to you in person. You're driving me insane." Adrien said.

"Good. I like that." AJ nodded, "I'll be back in the morning."

"No, April. Now. Get back tonight-"

AJ hung up on him, tucking her phone back in her pocket.


	4. Ghost

**Ghost**

* * *

"I told you to stay put. I would call you. And what did you do?" Adrien stood up as AJ sat at his desk, unamused and bored as she twirled her hair around her finger.

"I took out the target." AJ nodded, "And then… I even had time to spare and I went to London." She shrugged, "It's so pretty there, can you give me another job there?" She asked.

"No." Adrien said firmly, "I'm not giving you any jobs at this rate." He spat, "Do you have any idea the power I have over you? I'm doing you a favour giving you this job? I can find another bitch just like you-"

"No you can't." AJ stood up and slammed her hands on the desk, "You won't find anyone like me. And you know that." She smiled, "I'm doing my job. What you asked me to do." She said.

"I told you not to." Adrien spat, "Not until the CIA had calmed down." Adrien said.

"Well that's why I went to London." AJ said, "I saw two of those spies or… whatever they are." She said, "The cute, handsome one and… the pretty hot girl." AJ nodded, "They headed into a bar together. They're not focused enough to find me or find out what this is. So stop getting your panties in a twist, let me do my job and ignore them." AJ said, "Ok?" She smiled.

"Not ok." Adrien said, "I will throw you back where you came from if you continue to mess around like this." He said, "It's not a game. You can be replaced, April."

"No one can replace me, my sweetheart." AJ smiled, sitting back down on the chair tiredly, "Where is my money for Germany?"

"You're not getting it." Adrien said as AJ looked up at him, "You'll get it in a few days once you stay put and quiet." He said, "No more jobs for a while, I need to suss out what those spies know."

"Well they know nothing apparently. They're still in London looking at the drug bitch I got rid of her. I've had two more jobs after that. They're too slow." She smirked, "You have nothing to worry about."

"If you get caught that means we all get caught." Adrien said, "That means this government, this country, it goes corrupt and people will know about the illegal trades the group nineteen did for us. That's why you've got these targets. To dispose of any evidence that this country had any connection to that group."

"Why do you speak to me like I'm stupid?" AJ narrowed her eyes at him.

"Well because sometimes you are." Adrien said as AJ stood up and grabbed him by the shirt collar over the desk, looking into his eyes, "Let me go." He said worriedly as AJ looked at him.

"If I'm so stupid then why don't you do these jobs for me?" AJ spat, "Would a stupid person get away with it like I have?" She asked him as he gulped. He knew she was incredibly smart. Almost too smart. She was just far too chaotic.

"You're not stupid." Adrien nodded, knowing what she was capable of, watching as she smiled and let him go.

"Good." She smiled, brushing her hand down his suit jacket and fixing him up.

"April, just… go home to your apartment. Rest yourself." Adrien said, speaking in a calmer tone after being grabbed so harshly, "You can come by in a few days, collect your money and your next job." He nodded as AJ folded her arms and looked across at him, "Please just… cooperate with me." He said as AJ sighed and nodded.

"Oh, alright." AJ nodded innocently with a smile, "I'll be back in a few days. I want my money and my next job." She said as Adrien nodded, putting his hands up, "Oh and the CIA, they're staying in London. They have an office. A secret office I assume. I emailed you the address. If you want them to be my next job then… I'd have a lot of fun with it." She smiled.

"No." Adrien scoffed, "No, just go home. I'll call you." He said as AJ just nodded, walking out of the office and closing the door over behind her.

* * *

"We need a name." Punk said, "I think if we can get this girls first name." He pointed to the picture of AJ that was on their board, "Then maybe we can figure out who she is, where she's came from." He nodded.

"Or she could just be the waitress there." Dean said.

"No one knew who she was. Not the staff. She disappeared straight after Clara was found dead." Eve said, "Phil is right, I think… I think it's a female. I think it's her." Eve nodded as Dean just scoffed.

"Doesn't she have a name tag on her?" Seth asked, walking over to the picture.

"It's obviously not going to be her real name." Punk shoved his head, "We should try and look back at the other murders. Look around the pictures, check back on witnesses, see if we can put something together." Punk nodded.

"Wait a minute." Dean said, "In Poland, a barman who last seen Albert said that he left the bar with a woman. She had short black hair and a black fringe." He said, taking the paper work over to Punk who looked at it.

"Black wig." Eve shrugged as Punk nodded, writing more up on the board, "What if we took this picture from the hotel to the barman? See if he recognises it as her?" Eve asked as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, we're going to Poland." Punk nodded to them, "Seth, you stay here and hold the fort."

"Got it." Seth nodded, "I'll call if I got anything."

* * *

"Was this the girl?" Punk asked, showing the barman AJ's picture. The beauty of working for the CIA and working with MI5 and MI6 was that they could be transported just like that if it was part of their case. They'd arrived in Poland after a few hour flight and headed straight to the bar.

"Yes, that… that looks like her face." The barman nodded.

"Did you pick up on her voice? Or any conversation? Did she speak Polish?" Eve asked.

"No, she spoke English. She was American." The man nodded, "I didn't hear what they spoke about. They left pretty quickly." He said as Eve nodded.

"Do you think they knew one another?" Punk asked.

"It didn't look like it. She came in and sat down beside him. They just started talking." The barman said as Punk nodded, "She introduced herself as April." He said as Eve raised her eyebrows.

"That was all you got?" Punk asked as the barman nodded.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." He said.

"Ok." Punk nodded, "Thank you for your time." He said, leaving the bar with Eve and Dean, standing outside as Dean lit up a cigarette, "April. She's American." Punk said, "Has to be her, right? If she was here when this guy was murdered and then she was… in London when Clara was murdered." He said, "It's her." He said.

"Looks like it." Dean nodded.

"I'll call Seth and tell him we got a name." Eve said.

"Look for her in Moscow." Punk said as Dean looked up.

"Moscow? Why?" Dean asked.

"Just trust me. It's more likely than anything else." Punk said as Eve nodded and picked up her phone to call Seth.

* * *

AJ was in her apartment tucked away in the city, not knowing what to do with herself. Living a life constantly on the go, she was rarely ever home for any large length of time. She wasn't quite sure what to do with herself.

She grabbed a banana from her kitchen, tucking her laptop under her arm as she walked around in her bath robe, walking through to the bedroom and collapsing down.

She opened up the laptop and unpeeled the banana, going into her files and particularly something she had set up whilst she was in London. A camera.

She had attached a camera outside the office which she watched the two CIA workers come out of. She picked up on whenever they left the office and sometimes some conversation they had outside. One of them smoked, so she was able to listen into a few outside conversations luckily.

She watched the days camera footage, watching as three of them left the office as she ate her banana and lay down amongst her cushions.

"Where oh where are we off to?" She smiled a little, turning the volume up as she listened to them discuss going to Poland, "Oh." She smiled to herself, "Someone is catching up." She said, not a bit nervous. In fact, she felt excited for some terrifying reason.

She paused the footage and zoomed into Punk's face. Something was drawing her into him. She may have joked about how insanely handsome he was, and how he was exactly her type, but she was fascinated with him and wondered why he was so focused on this.

She continued to watch the rest of the footage before ordering pizza and calling up her girl friend and her boy friend which she gladly used for sex when she got bored and had some time to spare. Two was better than one, in her opinion.

* * *

"Anything?" Punk asked, the next morning, arriving back at the office in London where Seth had spent all night working.

"There's a lot of April's in Moscow, Phil." Seth shook his head as Punk sighed.

"Have you came across any that look even just a tiny bit like her?" Punk asked as Seth shook his head.

"Check prisons in Moscow. If she's violent like she is, she might have had a prison record." Punk nodded.

"Ok, I'll check a few then." Seth nodded, "Did you get any other information other than her name is April?" He asked them whilst looking through the computer.

"She's American." Eve nodded.

"So why the hell am I looking in Moscow for her?" Seth asked.

"Because that's where she is. That's where she's working." Punk nodded.

"You don't know that." Dean said, "I said it had Russia written all over it as a joke."

"Well I don't think it is a joke." Punk said, "The first murder was there. Clara's drugs were supposed to be being transferred there. And all of these victims, in the last six months, had taken a trip to Moscow." Punk said, pointing to the board, "That to me, is a connection, and I wanna go with it." He nodded, "Ok?" He looked at them all, "Quit fighting with me on things when-"

"Uh guys." Seth paused.

"I'm not fighting with you." Dean said, "I just thought it was speculation again." Dean shrugged.

"You guys." Seth said as Eve made her way over to him.

"Well my speculation is always right." Punk argued back with Dean.

"Hey! Shut up." Eve said as Punk and Dean looked over, "You better see this." She said as Punk and Dean walked over to them, looking on at the computer.

"What's this? A prison record?" Dean asked.

"April Jeanette Mendez." Punk looked on, "Wait is this-"

"She's been in 6 different prisons in Moscow." Seth nodded as Punk raised his eyebrows.

"For different reasons?" Dean asked.

"Looks like it. Battery and assault. Robbery. Another battery and assault. And… she murdered her boyfriend."

"Then how the hell is she out?" Eve shrieked.

"They're using her." Punk realised, "They must have gave her immunity if she did these jobs for her." He said.

"You guys." Seth groaned a little, "It says she died in prison five years ago." Seth looked at them as they looked at the record closely with confusion.


	5. Ships In The Night

**Ships In The Night**

* * *

"Well she's not dead." Punk shook his head.

"That's what it says." Seth said, "She died in prison apparently. Five years ago." He said as Eve shook her head.

"Is this definitely her?" Eve narrowed her eyes at the mug shot of what appeared to be a very troubled looking girl. Messy hair over her face, black eye-bags like she hadn't slept in years.

"It's her." Punk nodded, "What was the last prison sentence she got?" Punk asked.

"For murdering her boyfriend." Seth said, "She got thirty years for it." He nodded, "She… slit his throat." He cringed as Punk shook his head.

"Nice girl." Dean nodded, walking away and sitting back at his desk.

"What's her back-story?" Punk asked as Seth ran through more files.

"Doesn't seem to have one." Seth said as Punk sat down by his desk.

"How many times was she in prison?" Punk asked.

"Uh… six. She was moved around for bad behaviour and she… successfully escaped but they got her back." Seth shook his head.

"So someone who needed these jobs done picked her to do them because clearly she's a very alert individual." Eve said, writing on the board, "And if she doesn't do them I guess they're threatening her with prison. They must have gave her immunity to do these jobs and to cover it up they said she died in prison. That means there's no way to trace her DNA. It's… smart." Eve nodded.

"Yeah, it is." Punk agreed, "Why'd she kill her boyfriend?" He asked.

"Uh… I have the court notes from the trial and she refused to give any statements about what happened, therefore she… sabotaged her own case I guess." He made a face.

"Who was her boyfriend?" Punk asked.

"Some Russian guy. Worked in a butchers. Here's a picture of the body." He turned it around as Eve cringed and turned away.

"Poor guy." Punk shook his head, "Anything else interesting about her?" He asked.

"Uh…" Seth scrolled through, "She's bipolar."

"You see, now it all makes a little more sense." Dean nodded to himself.

"Being bipolar doesn't make you a killer." Eve scolded Dean.

"Yeah and it says she was medicated." Seth said, "She was diagnosed age 20 after attempted drug overdose. She was born in Chicago." He looked up at Punk who just raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Where?" Punk asked.

"Illinois." Seth said, "Maybe you know her."

"Funny." Punk nodded, "Keep talking."

"She somehow has residence in Russia from the age of 13." Seth shrugged, "Everything just sort of changes over." He nodded, "No explanation. No trace of how she got there. No family that took her. She went to university to study English literature." He said, "She speaks Russian, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Bulgarian, Portuguese, Mandarin and Lithuanian." Seth said, "Must come in handy, I guess."

"Smart girl." Eve nodded, writing more information up on the board.

"That's not something the average person can do." Punk said, looking on at the board with all the murders stuck around, "No one can just be trained to do that. Something has happened to her in her life where she's-"

"Became a psychopath?" Dean asked, "Her dad probably molested her or something." He said.

"That's not funny." Eve shook her head at him.

"I'm not saying it is. I'm being serious." Dean said, "Phil is right. No one just wakes up and decides they're gonna become an assassin for the Russian government. She's been through something to give her the ability to do this." He said.

"She didn't just wake up and decide to do it, though. They took her out of prison to work for them." Punk said, "They must have been looking, scouting around, and saw her. The fact she was moved around so much suggests she was obviously a fighter. That's what they're clearly looking for." He nodded.

"Who is they?" Seth asked, "Are we even sure this is Russian intelligence?"

"Has to be." Punk nodded, "They're covering their asses and their using her to do it." Punk said, "It's a tactic that's been done before. Only, I've never saw someone get away with it so much." He admitted.

"So what do we do?" Eve asked.

"We gotta find her." Punk nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Because that sounds easy." Dean said.

"We know her name, she must live in Moscow, we know what she looks like-"

"Phil." Seth said, "She's dead. We have nothing on her. She'll have a fake name. A fake life. A fake ID." He said.

"So did that Saudi group and we still found them." Punk said.

"Why did she kill her boyfriend?" Eve asked.

"I don't know. She wouldn't talk to anyone after it happened." Seth said, "Well at least, that's what it says here."

"I think we gotta go to the last prison she was in. The one she apparently died in. Talk to the staff." Punk said.

"Russian prisons scare me." Eve shook her head.

"Then you can stay here. But having a female with us mind be useful. Girls tend to trust girls more than they do boys." Punk shrugged.

"You really think this girl is gonna trust anyone?" Dean asked, "She's a loose cannon clearly." He shook his head.

"Well it's our job to find her, question her, and get to the bottom of all of this." Punk said, "Ok? We're getting somewhere. This is good." Punk nodded to them.

"Uh… I don't really like the Russian prisons either. When we went a few years ago I… I still get nightmares about it." Seth admitted as Punk put his hands on his hips as they all stared at him, "What? They're terrifying."

"Fine, you can stay here." Punk rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Ok, time to leave." AJ clapped her hands as she looked at the man and woman still in her bed, "I have work to do. Come on." She told them as they woke up.

"One more night?" The girl smiled as AJ folded her arms.

"No." AJ said, "I'm leaving today so… just pack up your things and leave."

"I like it when you're mean." The girl smiled, getting out of the bed naked and walking off into the bathroom as AJ just rolled her eyes.

"You too. Out." AJ told the man who nodded, getting out of bed and putting his clothes on.

"Call me when you're home again." He smirked, walking by AJ and out of the apartment as AJ waited on her other guest leaving.

"You don't want us to leave." The girl came out of the bathroom, fully dressed as AJ just rolled her eyes.

"I really do." AJ nodded, "I have to go and the quicker you go, the quicker I can." AJ said as the brunette walked over to her, beautiful and the same build as her.

"Don't miss us too much." The girl smiled, kissing AJ on the way by as AJ pushed her away.

"Yeah, ok. Get out." AJ shooed her away, watching them leave her apartment so she could get ready to head to see Adrien for her money and her next job. She'd spent the last few days locked up in her apartment, spending all her time with her friends in bed to make the time go by faster.

She put her laptop on as she was getting ready, looking on at the footage of Punk and the rest of the group, watching as they left the office, pulling her jeans up as she shuffled over to the front of the laptop.

"Where are you lot going now?" She shook her head as she watched them leave the office with bags, shaking her head as she slammed down the laptop.

* * *

"Ok. I've gave you a few days. Now give me my money and my next job." AJ said, sitting at a café with Adrien where he had called to meet her.

"Very well." Adrien nodded, sliding the bag over to her which had the money and the next folder for her. She sat it up on her lap and looked in to make sure it was all there, "It's all there." Adrien rolled his eyes.

"Good." AJ nodded, "And have you calmed down?" She asked him.

"I'm calm." Adrien said, "I'm trying to look out for you, you know." He said as AJ laughed to herself, sipping on her milkshake and looking up at him, "I am, April. I took you under my wing. No one else gives a shit about you." He said as AJ's face faded.

"You think I'm not used to that?" AJ smiled a little, "I don't want people to care about me." She shook her head, "I want to do my job and do it well." She said, "And that's what I've been doing." She shrugged, "I have my eyes on those CIA spies. They're moving around too much."

"What do you mean you have your eyes on them?" Adrien asked worriedly.

"I just have a little camera set up outside their office." AJ shrugged, "I get bored, and lonely." She smiled, "You know that."

"What if they find it? Why are you doing this?" Adrien spat.

"Hey, I'm trying to help. They went to Poland. They're going somewhere again. I'm bringing you information like my job tells me to." She said, "Don't get mad at me for that." She said, "I'm covering my ass and yours." She said angrily as Adrien looked at her.

"That's my job to keep an eye on them." Adrien said.

"Well… what have you found?" AJ leaned forward with her elbows on the table, sipping at her milkshake again as she waited for Adrien to speak.

"I know they're looking into you. I got into MI6, they're working with them to find out about the murders." Adrien nodded.

"I could have told you that." AJ made a face, "That's pretty self-explanatory. But don't we have connections to MI6?"

"I have connections. You don't have anything." Adrien reminded her coldly as AJ looked at him, "I will keep them confused, don't worry." He said.

"Good luck with that. You're pretty useless. I'm just saying." AJ laughed to herself as Adrien rolled her eyes.

"Just keep your wits about you. Ok? I don't need to worry about you. I know you can protect yourself." Adrien said.

"No one ever worries about me." AJ shook her head, picking up her bag and putting it over her shoulder as she grabbed her suitcase, "I'll check in with you when I'm back. You look cute today." She teased as Adrien just nodded, used to her behaviour at this point.

AJ left the café which they had been sitting outside at, walking down the cobbled street as she headed somewhere before getting into a cab to take her to the airport.

She paused once she got outside the building, looking up at it and sighing to herself. She grabbed a wig from her bag and a pair of glasses, adjusting them on whilst no one was looking before entering into the building, walking up to the reception as a woman greeted her in Russian.

"Uh… I'd like to make a donation." AJ nodded, digging into her bag as she grabbed a lump of the cash, watching as the woman grabbed a form and handed it to her with a pen. AJ thanked her in Russian as she filled out the form.

"Why?" The woman wondered.

"No reason." AJ looked up with a small smile, filling in the form with a fake name of course, sitting down the cash and sliding it along as the woman nodded.

"Thank you." The woman smiled as AJ nodded, picking her bag and suitcase back up as she left the building to head to the airport.

* * *

AJ got to the airport and once she had gotten through security, of course using her fake ID, she headed to the bathroom to get properly changed. She knew once she was getting off the plane she was going straight to her location to carry out her job.

She stood in the bathroom cubicle, fixing herself into the sweat pants and hoodie she was wearing. She adjusted her brown wig which was short with a fringe, and made sure it was sitting right. She then adjusted her glasses onto her nose and sprayed some perfume of course.

She left the bathroom cubicle and headed over to the sink, looking in the mirror to the right as she raised her eyebrows and surprisingly saw the woman from the CIA group fixing herself in the mirror.

AJ smirked to herself and washed her hands as she kept her eyes on Eve. She knew all of their names. She'd done her research on all of them. She was a talented girl. Extremely bright. An average life with kind family and friends. Nothing like her.

"You smell great." AJ smiled as she picked up her bag and put it over her shoulder.

Eve turned around as she looked on at AJ, her arms following to her sides as she looked across at her.

AJ brushed by her, leaving the toilet as Eve followed her with her eyes, shaking her head as she looked back in the mirror. She wasn't sure if she was just seeing things or if she had really just met their assassin they had been tracking, in such a calm yet terrifying way.


	6. About Her

**About Her**

* * *

"Are you sure it was her?" Punk shook his head, standing outside the airport.

"I-I think so." Eve nodded.

"You think so?" Dean said, "Was it her or not?" He asked.

"I don't know she was… she had short brown hair, a fringe, glasses on. She said I smelled nice." She shook her head, "It looked like her but maybe it wasn't. Maybe it… maybe it's just messing with me." She sighed, running her hand through her hair.

"Great. She's probably on her way to kill her next victim." Dean scoffed, "Why didn't you just grab her and question her?"

"I didn't know if it was her or not." Eve gritted her teeth, "And then she was gone." She said, "She said I smelled nice and then walked by me. I barely got a good look at her."

"So it might not have been her." Dean shrugged.

"I think it was. Her eyes were terrifying." Eve said, placing her hand on her chest as Punk sighed.

"What did she have with her?" Punk asked.

"Just a bag over her shoulder." Eve nodded, "She was in sweats and a hoodie. She looked… normal. She blended in." Eve said.

"Well that's why she's getting away with this so much." Dean said, "What did we do? Do we… go ask around? See where she's headed?" Dean asked.

"No." Punk shook his head, "No, we have a meeting with the prison. We can't cancel it. They won't let us reschedule, you know how they are." He said.

"She might be on her way to… to take out another person." Dean said, "And she just walked by Eve doing it."

"We don't even know if it was her for definite." Punk said.

"I really think it was her. I felt it." Eve said, "And she… she looked like she knew me. Why would she know me?" She shook her head as Punk looked across at her, "And if she knew me why would she not run out in the opposite direction?"

"Unless she knows who we are and that we're watching her and she just… has the balls and takes a lot of chances." Punk said.

"I'd say she takes a lot of chances." Dean scoffed, "What do we do?"

"We go to the prison like we set out to." Punk said, "Come on." He nodded to them.

* * *

"You have one hour." A prison warden said, sitting across from Punk, Dean and Eve in a room in the prison they'd arrived in, the prison which AJ had been kept in. They'd found a warden who spoke English and was willing to talk to them about AJ. They had to be smart of course and not slip up that she was actually alive. Everything had to be secret.

"We just want you to tell us as much as you know about… this girl." Punk said, sliding over AJ's records which Seth had printed out for them before they left, "April Mendez." He said as the warden immediately scowled and folded her arms, "She spent a few years here, didn't she?"

"Yes." The warden, whose name tag read Regina, said.

"What was she like?" Eve asked.

"She was… unpredictable." Regina said, "A troublemaker. Pure Evil." She shook her head, "I lost count of… of the amount of beatings we had to give her." She said as Punk looked across at her.

"That's what you do when prisoners act up? You beat them?" Punk tilted his head as Regina nodded quite calmly, as though it was normal.

"Yes. It tends to stop them from acting up again but… not her." Regina said, "She liked the challenge." She nodded.

"Did she have any friends?" Dean asked.

"No." Regina laughed, "She had no friends. And she didn't want friends." She shook her head, "She tried to kill one of our guards." She nodded, "She kept razor blades all over her. In her mouth. Her hair. Her panties." She nodded.

"Jesus Christ." Eve groaned.

"She was pure evil." Regina spat, "We put her in the hole for… 4 months straight one time." She nodded, "We knew this wasn't her first time in prison. And we knew she'd escaped before during a previous sentence." She said, "So naturally we kept an eye on her anyway but… she's not like anyone I've seen in here before." She shook her head, "I was so glad when we found her dead." She shook her head as Punk tilted his head.

"You found her dead?" Punk asked, "H-How?" He shook his head.

"Dead in her cell." Regina said, "She'd been at the doctors the previous week and she must have snuck a bottle of pills. It was empty and she was… just dead." She shrugged as Punk nodded slowly.

"Did she have anyone visit her before she died?" Punk asked.

"Or did she get any letters?" Dean asked.

"No letters but she had one visit from a man. A friend. I'd have to get the visitation book from five years ago to see his name." Regina said.

"Could you do that?" Eve asked as Regina looked at her.

"We don't keep visitation sign in books from years ago." Regina said as Eve looked across at her.

"Do you remember seeing the man? What he looked like?" Punk asked as Regina shook her head.

"No. We just knew it was a friend but… we were a little concerned as we knew she didn't have any friends, or family." Regina said, "She grew up in the Mazanova orphanage in Moscow." She nodded as Punk turned to Dean who just nodded.

"Do you know anything else about her life? Growing up?" Punk asked.

"No, that was it." Regina shrugged.

"What about her boyfriend? Why did she kill him?" Eve asked, "Do you know?"

"No. Apparently she didn't give a single statement about it. Refused to talk about it." Regina said, "Which to me, means she was just a guilty, evil murderer." Regina nodded, "And annoyingly clever." She shook her head, "Why are you bothering about her anyway?"

"We're just looking into some stuff." Punk nodded, "Could you give us the address for that orphanage?" Punk asked as Regina nodded, taking his pen and writing it down for them as Punk glanced to Eve and Dean.

* * *

"Sounds like someone I do not want to meet." Dean shook his head as they got to their hotel for the night, "I mean this girl is clearly psychotic."

"Or she's being used and she doesn't know it." Punk said.

"I mean you know how the prisons are here. They're like death camps. If someone told you they could get you out of prison if you did a few jobs for them, would you do it?" Punk asked.

"No, because I have my head screwed on right and I'm not gonna go kill people." Dean said, "I know we can all be troubled, and face struggles, but she's killing these people and she's not even looking up. She's already moving onto the next."

"But why? Who is pulling her strings? Who is asking her to do this and for what reason? She probably has no idea why she's killing them. Maybe they've told her some bullshit story but… I think she's in the dark and she's just doing someone's dirty work." Punk nodded, "I don't think she's got anything to do with any of it."

"No, well obviously not." Eve said, "Someone's gotten word about the reckless prisoner who successfully escaped, who knows how to fight, who is smart, and they've somehow got her out, faked her death and made her a ghost so she can… cover up something that they don't want to get out." She said, "It makes sense I guess." She nodded.

"I wanna go to the orphanage." Punk said.

"Why?" Dean questioned, "We need to focus on getting who is behind this girl." Dean nodded, sitting down on the edge of the hotel bed.

"If we get to the girl, we get to who is behind it all." Punk nodded, "We have to make her trust us."

"Do you honestly think she will?" Eve laughed, "Do assassins trust anyone? From experience, I'd say no." She said.

"Well that's why we have to get to know her. Know her story. Reel her in. She's the only way we find out who is behind this." Punk said, "It's that simple."

"You should have just grabbed her when you saw her in the toilet." Dean folded his arms.

"I still don't know if it was her." Eve shrugged.

"Someone call Seth and ask him to look up April's name in the orphanage. See what we can find on her. We'll go tomorrow before we leave." He said, "I'm going for a shower. Someone order some food." He nodded, walking into the bathroom as Eve watched him disappear.

"Is it just me or… is he more interested in this girl than he is finding out why these people are being killed?" Eve asked Dean who was on his phone.

"I don't blame him. She's hot." Dean said, "What he's saying makes sense. We have to win her over before we do anything else. If we get to her, we can figure out who she is working for and why they're killing people off." Dean shrugged as Eve just nodded.

* * *

"What are you doing? Are you… are you going to kill me?" A man scrambled out of his bed, falling over onto the ground as AJ pointed a gun at him.

"Yes." AJ nodded bluntly, walking around the bed and standing over him as the man begged and pleaded with her.

"Please. I-I have money. I have a lot of money and I can give you it." He nodded.

"I have a lot of money too." AJ smiled.

"If this is… if this is about nineteen then I… I won't say anything. I know deals are made. Things happen. I… I won't say a thing." He said, begging and pleading with her as AJ smiled, standing over him.

"What do you know about nineteen?" AJ asked, crouching down, using her gun to tilt his head up to look at her as he gulped.

"Uh… I just… I just know about the trades and the drugs and… I worked with intelligence. I know that business is business. Things happen." He said frantically, "I won't say anything." He said as AJ just smiled.

"I don't care." She shrugged, "I have to kill you." She nodded, "Did you know I was coming?" She asked curiously.

She took different approaches every time of course. Tonight she decided to just appear in her targets bedroom.

"I… I heard about the others." He said, "Please, I beg you. I won't say anything." He cried as AJ looked into his eyes.

"Sorry." She shrugged, standing back up straight, pointing the gun down at him and pulling the trigger, folding her arms and groaning a little as she looked at the clock, "I'm ahead of schedule." She huffed tiredly, walking around the bedroom, opening up the dresser as she looked at the woman's clothes.

"Cute." She hummed, taking out a dress, unhooking it from the hanger and putting it over her shoulder, walking over to the dresser next and looking through the jewellery, taking a few things before stepping over the dead body and leaving the bedroom, walking downstairs and out of the house.

* * *

"What did Seth get?" Punk asked the next morning as they stood outside the orphanage.

"Nothing yet but we have another murder." Eve said as Punk turned to her, "Bulgaria. A man in his house. Shot in the chest." She nodded as Punk ran his hand through his hair.

"How many people are we gonna keep letting her kill?" Dean shook his head.

"She'll be coming back here. Maybe we should wait." Punk nodded, "Stay here for another few nights."

"Moscow is a big place." Dean said, "And she's obviously reporting back to someone in a little shady office somewhere. She's not gonna be heading in the intelligence offices, is she?" He said.

"Well then maybe someone in here can give us an address for her." He shrugged.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Eve asked Punk a little softly as Punk just shook his head, "I know that it might be a little difficult-"

"I'm fine. Why don't you guys go over to that café and get some breakfast? Give Seth a call and see what he's been finding?" He asked as they nodded and walked across the road.

Punk turned back around and looked at the orphanage, taking a deep breath and walking into the building, walking across to the front desk where a woman was sat.

She spoke in Russian at first but Punk only knew a little, so decided to ask if she spoke English.

"English?" Punk asked her as she just nodded.

"Donation forms are there." She nodded as Punk looked at the donation slips, he supposed it would go to more facilities for the orphans. The place looked terribly run down. Like a haunted house.

"No… I was wondering if I could speak to you about a girl who used to be here?" Punk asked her as the woman looked up.

"Who?" The woman asked.

"Her name was April Jeanette Mendez." Punk said, "Uh… I have a picture, I think." He dug into his pockets, sliding over a picture as the woman looked over at it and nodded.

"What about her?" The woman questioned.

"I was wondering if you could tell me why she was here? Why did she get put into the orphanage and when? Do you have her records?" Punk asked.

"Wait here." The woman groaned a little, mad that she had to stand up and move, walking away into the back whilst Punk stood at the desk, looking around. The place looked dull and terrifying. It gave him chills.

"Thank you." Punk smiled as the woman came back with a folder. He opened it up and realised it was a huge folder with a lot of things like paintings and drawings, letters and stories all done by AJ clearly, "She did this?" Punk asked, holding up the paintings.

"Yes." The woman nodded, "Her files are at the back." She said as Punk nodded.

He scrolled through to the back as Punk looking on at her records, looking on at the picture of her when she was thirteen, when she had just arrived at the orphanage. She looked dirty and tired. Confused and scared.

"She was found on the streets?" Punk asked, looking on at the notes made which were thankfully in Russian and English.

"Yes. Every year the homeless children, we take some in. She was brought in with a few others." The woman said, "A sweet girl." She said as Punk nodded, looking at the pictures of AJ, smiling in some, a lot different from her prison pictures for sure.

"Where did she go when she left?" Punk asked.

"Uh… work I think. I'm sure there is a note to say where she went. We need to know where all the children go to after they leave." She said, "It should be there." She nodded as Punk looked a little further and nodded once he saw it.

"She worked in a casino." Punk raised his eyebrows, "Is this the address she went to?" He pointed as the woman looked on. He was a little confused by all the Russian.

"Yes." The woman nodded, "That's the last we saw her." She smiled sadly as Punk nodded slowly.

"She was a nice girl?" Punk asked.

"Yeah." The woman said, "Very kind. Helpful." She nodded, "But very troubled." She said as Punk nodded.

"Do you mind if I take these files?" Punk asked, taking out his ID, "I'm with the CIA." He showed her as she nodded.

"Go on." The woman nodded, "No use to anyone here anymore." She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Thank you." Punk said, "Uh… let me make a donation." He said, taking a form out, scribbling down his name.

"Kind of you." The woman smiled as Punk nodded, taking out some money and handing it over to her, "The place will close without the donations. A lot of kids need this." She said.

"Yeah, I can imagine." Punk nodded, "Thank you for your time." Punk said as the woman nodded.

He took the large folder and left out of the building, looking on at the paintings and drawings in it and shaking his head. He wondered how something so innocent could turn so bad.


	7. In Person

**In Person**

* * *

"Well she's definitely… creative." Eve said, sitting on the hotel bed as she looked through AJ's paintings from the orphanage. They'd decided to stay a few more nights in Moscow as they hoped they could come through with some more leads on AJ.

"And poetic." Dean shook his head, sitting on the bucket chair by the window reading the poems and stories AJ had written, "What the hell happened to her? Did she just snap?" He rubbed the side of his head with frustration whilst Punk sat over at the desk looking through the files.

"She's had it rough." Punk shrugged.

"Are you seriously trying to… make excuses for this?" Eve laughed a little.

"No, of course not." Punk said, "I'm just saying that… she's not had an easy life. The likely of her snapping is pretty legit." He said.

"Nothing bad has happened to her, though." Dean said, "She was in an orphanage. She left and had a job. She lived with a boyfriend." He said, "Why turn into a psycho killer?"

"She only went to the orphanage when she was 13. She was homeless apparently before. I mean… we don't know what happened to her on those streets. We don't know what happened to her with her boyfriend." Punk said.

"She slit his throat. That's what happened." Eve said, "Don't feel the need to stick up for her just because you were an orphan." She looked across at him as Punk looked back.

"I'm not sticking up for her." Punk rolled his eyes, "I'm just trying to put myself in her shoes so I can figure her out a little better. If we do that, we can get closer to her. We need her to trust us. To give us information on what she's doing and why she's doing it."

"She probably won't know." Dean shrugged, "She was hired to do a job. She was given immunity from prison. Exoneration if you will. And she's probably not gonna ask questions." He said.

"Do you think she still lives here?" Eve asked, walking over to Punk, looking on at the address which was down on the orphanages forms.

"Maybe. Or maybe it was her boyfriend's place." Punk said.

"We should still check it out." Dean nodded, "And the casino that she worked in." He said as Punk nodded.

"Your phone is ringing." Eve noticed, passing Punk his phone as it was on silent.

"It's Seth." Punk said, answering the call and standing up as he walked around the room.

Eve and Dean glanced at each other whilst Punk spoke on the phone to Seth, waiting on him coming off to tell them what was going on.

"What is it?" Eve asked.

"The guy in Bulgaria that was shot. The wife found him. Said that a dress and some jewellery had been stolen." Punk nodded.

"She's fucking clever." Dean nodded, "Notice how she always does something to make sure the cops are swayed to believe it's something else. Robbery in Poland and Bulgaria. Suicide in London." He said, "She sure as hell ain't stupid."

"Well we know that." Eve said, "She'll be coming back here to report back to… whoever it is she reports to." She said, "Can Seth get into Moscow airport system? See if she's arrived back yet? Check ID?"

"Yeah, I'll call him back. Meanwhile I think we should head out to her address on that form. See if by chance she still lives there." He shrugged, "They probably took it from her when she went to prison but… maybe she got it back I don't know." He said, "Get ready." He said, calling Seth back.

* * *

"Here you go." Adrien nodded, sliding across the money to AJ as she smiled happily.

"Thank you." AJ hummed happily, "And my next job?" She asked.

"I'm meeting with the foreign minister. We have a lot to discuss. I still need to get access to another target for you." Adrien said as AJ huffed.

"Don't make me wait too long." AJ rolled her eyes as Adrien shook his head.

"The meeting is tomorrow. I'll meet with you tomorrow night." Adrien said, "I also have a little bit of… bad news."

"What?" AJ asked.

"The CIA are in Moscow." Adrien said as AJ looked at him, unbothered, "They were at the prison you were in." He said, "And also an orphanage. Why were they at an orphanage?" He asked her as AJ just shrugged, even though her heart was thudding.

"Let me kill them. I can handle three." AJ shrugged.

"No. You stay away as far as possible from them." Adrien said, "If they sniff you out, if they get their hands on you, it could be over for all of us." He said, "So don't do anything stupid."

"I want to play with them." She frowned as Adrien rolled his eyes, "Why are they here?"

"They're catching up." Adrien nodded, a state of panic on his face that AJ noticed.

"Oh, quit being so anxious." AJ rolled her eyes, "They won't find me. There's more chance of me finding them, and killing them." She said, "You have nothing to worry about." She shrugged.

"Don't do anything crazy." Adrien said as AJ just laughed to herself.

"Ok, boss." AJ mocked as Adrien shook his head, "When are you going to tell me about nineteen?" Her face dropped as she looked across at him seriously, "I think you can trust me at this point."

"I don't trust you, April. I never will. I don't like turning my back to you sometimes." He admitted truthfully as AJ frowned.

"Adrien." She pouted, "I'd never hurt you, my lovely." She said, "Well, not unless you hurt me." She said.

"I can't tell you." Adrien said.

"Well mister man in Bulgaria said that he only knew about the drug trades, and that he understood every government has it's flaws. Yada yada. Then I got bored of his voice and shot him." She nodded, "So what is nineteen? Some illegal group where you guys fund drugs and illegal weapons? Human trafficking? All that bullshit? And you get money out of it for the government? But you want all the people who know about it, slowly killed off?" AJ asked as Adrien stared at her.

He wouldn't say that she had pretty much answered her own question. She'd clearly put it all together. She was bright and he wasn't surprised.

"No just… don't be concerned by that." Adrien said, "Just focus on your job. Like you always do." He said.

"And the CIA?" AJ asked.

"They'll disappear if you keep your head down." Adrien nodded.

"Why are they so interested in me?" AJ twirled her hair around her finger with a smile.

"Uh… because of what you're doing." Adrien said, "They've caught on. They probably know that we pulled you out of prison to do the jobs." He said.

"Well that's not good." AJ shook her head.

"No, but if they can't find you then they won't know about what you're doing and why and who for most importantly." Adrien said, "So keep your head down." He warned as AJ sighed.

"Alright." AJ hummed.

* * *

It didn't take her long to find Punk, Dean and Eve. She was quick to think ahead and realised they had probably sussed out her life before prison, which to her was all private things which she didn't believe anyone should have ever known. She was angry that they were digging into her life like this.

She realised they'd probably be at the Casino, or her old apartment, and so she headed there, despite what Adrien had told her. She of course did not follow any rules.

She sat over in a café outside with a coffee, sunglasses and a hat on as she watched them leave her old apartment which she lived in with her boyfriend, watching as they discussed, smiling to herself as she wondered what they could possibly have been talking about.

"Notice me." AJ whispered, taking her sunglasses off, ripping her beanie off her head as she shook out her natural hair. Sometimes she didn't do the norm or the most responsible thing. She liked the thrill of being in danger way too much.

"Turn around, pretty boy." AJ looked at Punk who was talking to Eve, watching them closely.

Meanwhile just across the street, Punk, Dean and Eve had come out of AJ's old apartment which they couldn't get into as someone else lived there.

"It obviously got taken off her when she went to prison." Punk shrugged, "Looks a bit run down." He made an edgy face.

"What did you say her boyfriend worked as again?" Dean asked Punk.

"A butcher I think." Punk said.

"Ironic that she was the one who was able to work a knife better." Eve said as Dean looked at her.

"Eve Torres cracking jokes?" Dean laughed a little, "That was a good one."

"Yeah, you liked that one?" Eve nodded.

"Guys." Punk said, tapping them both as he was staring over to the café across the street, not being able to take his eyes away as he saw what was very clearly the woman they were fixed on finding.

He got chills up his spine as he saw her. She wasn't only locking eyes with him specifically, so intense, but she was smiling at him, and then she raised her hand and waved sweetly with wide eyes as Punk gulped.

"Let's walk towards her slowly." Punk nodded, taking one small step as he watched AJ stand up from the table she was at.

She wasn't in a rush like most people would be in her position. She was calm. Almost begging for them to come over. She carried herself fearlessly, as though nothing could ever beat her, and he'd never saw anything like it.

She's leaving." Eve said quietly, walking across the road as AJ left the café and began to walk away.

"Can we just run after her? This is ridiculous." Dean said. She seemed so close to not get their hands on her.

"She probably has a gun. We don't. We're not running up on her." Punk nodded. He'd learned from experience to never bring just his fists to a gun fight.

AJ smiled to herself, feeling them follow her at the corner of her eyes, looking at shop windows across the street as she saw them following her closely. She had no reason to be afraid.

She turned the corner and quickly starting taking short cuts to lose them. She cut into apartment buildings, taking the fire escape out the back, walking down alley ways.

"Ok, how did she do that?" Dean paused, looking around. It appeared that she had just vanished into thin air.

"She was homeless on these streets. She knows them way more than we do." Punk said.

"She gave me shivers." Eve admitted, "And not in a good way." She shook her head.

"She wasn't wearing any wigs or excessive clothes." Punk said, "And she was waving at us." He shook his head, "She knows we're looking into her. She wanted us to follow her there." He shook his head.

"She's a bitch. I hate her." Dean said childishly as he folded his arms.

"We need to find out where she lives." Punk nodded to them.

"And how do we do that?" Dean asked.

"I don't know but we just need to." Punk sighed. He'd worked on so many cases. Big cases and investigations but none had ever fascinated him as much as this woman did.

* * *

AJ got home to her apartment, collapsing on her bed and pulling her laptop over to her. She couldn't get Punk's face out of her head. He looked at her the way no one else had before. He was interested in her. She didn't know how considering she'd never spoken to the man, but something was strange between them.

"Phil Brooks." AJ hummed to herself as she typed it into her server, using her own tech skills to do her research, "Who are you?" She said, sitting up and crossing her legs in a basket, watching all of the files show up as the laptop processed all the information.

It was mostly all of his CIA work that came up which she wasn't interested in, although it was very impressive. She continued to scroll down, looking closely. She figured if she had to come face to face with these people, which she knew would happen if they were as fast and smart as she believed they were, she wanted to get ready to play dirty. Threatening family members was always a positive.

"Come on. Show me your nice wife." AJ nodded, looking through his files, pausing when she saw something she didn't expect.

She looked on at the orphanage records from an orphanage in Chicago where he was born. She sat up a little and tilted her head. She looked at the picture of him as a little kid, reading all about his notes.

"Damn, no one wanted you from the get go." AJ read that he had been in the orphanage since birth and left when he was sixteen. She wasn't sure what it was that made her so interested him. There was just something about him. Seeing him in person was exhilarating for her. A part of her wanted to see them again, but she knew that wouldn't go down well at all.


	8. Welcome

**Welcome**

* * *

"Hello boys and girl." Seth walked through the hotel room.

"Good, you're here." Punk nodded, "It's no use speaking to you on the phone anymore." He said.

"Well I thought you'd be gone for a day." Seth said, "And I wasn't built to go into that prison." He shook his head.

"Have you found anything on this girl in the streets of Moscow? Around where we were? Where I told you?" Punk asked as Seth got his equipment out of his bag and set up at the desk.

"So I got into the servers on this street. There she is." He zoomed in on her smiling face.

"Why is she always smiling?" Eve rolled her eyes.

"Well the next one is even more disturbing." Seth said, clicking onto the next frame as it appeared AJ was waving up at the CCTV camera.

"Fuck sake." Dean shook his head as Punk looked at her.

"I mean I think she knows that… we're watching her. It would appear that way." Seth said, "But we've never came across someone who wants us to find them."

"She's not like anyone I've ever known." Eve shook her head, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "I think we're wasting our time with her."

"What?" Punk turned to her, "You're kidding, right?"

"I'm not." Eve said, "She probably knows nothing like we said. We need to find out why these people? We need to figure out what they all have against someone?" Eve said, "This girl just wants to play games with us."

"We have nothing to go on with to get that information, besides finding her." Punk said.

"Dude, she'll cut your throat if we get anywhere near her. She's not a normal human being." Dean yawned tiredly.

"Are you fucking tired?" Punk asked angrily as Dean looked over at him, "And are you bored?" He asked Eve, "If you are then go back to the states. I'll do this shit on my own. I've done it before."

"Yeah and you almost died." Dean scoffed.

"Yeah well I'm still here." Punk said childishly, "If we get to her, then we get to the reason why she's doing it."

"Or you just have a boner for the pretty assassin." Seth looked up at him, "I mean I wouldn't blame you." He whispered.

"Can we stop sexualising this woman? Please?" Eve asked them, "She's dangerous and a killer and quite frankly she scares me."

"Then go home." Punk told her bluntly as Eve folded her arms, "The answers to our questions aren't just going to hit us in the face. How could you possibly think that after the years we've spent doing this. It's a progress. We can't just charge into Russian Intelligence with these claims that something shady is going on." Punk said, "We need her." He looked back at the CCTV, "Did you get where she could possibly live?" He asked.

"I got her at another block." Seth nodded, showing Punk.

"Ok, we need to go down there with a picture and ask around to see if anyone knows her or knows where she lives." Punk nodded.

"She wants us to find her and you're going right into her trap." Dean said.

"I think we can handle her." Punk scoffed, "Come on, let's go." He nodded.

* * *

"They're staying in this hotel." AJ threw down the address of the hotel at Adrien who took it.

"I told you to leave it alone. To keep your head down." Adrien spat.

"I was curious." AJ shrugged, "There's 4 of them now." She said as Adrien nodded.

"Yeah and they're here to find you." Adrien said, "I told you to stay away. Do I have to lock you up somewhere?" He shook his head.

"That sounds fun." AJ smiled.

"I have your next job." Adrien said as AJ sat up excitedly.

"What is it?" She smiled.

"I need you to go back into prison to kill someone." Adrien nodded as AJ's face dropped.

"Oh, don't make me go back in there." AJ whined, falling back against the chair, "I don't like it there." She frowned like a child.

"There's a woman in there. Her name is Tara. Last year someone tried to kill her for what she knew about nineteen but it backfired and she wound up killing them." Adrien said, handing her over the file as AJ rolled her eyes and opened it up, "She hasn't said anything since but her sentence is up in a month and we don't want any risks, do we?" Adrien asked her as AJ sighed.

"How do I know I won't get stuck in there?" AJ shook her head, "And this isn't all part of your plan to get me back in prison?" She asked.

"We've got connections with the guards. Just like last time when we got you out. You'll go in and come out the same way." Adrien nodded, "And keep it clean. No… funny business. You have two days." He said as AJ rolled her eyes, "I'll pick you up tonight."

"I want double pay for this." AJ said, "And I also want to play with those CIA people." She warned.

"The pay I can make happen. Stay away from the CIA spies. Please." Adrien said as AJ scoffed and stood up, leaving the office.

* * *

Punk and Eve were out in the town asking around to see if anyone knew AJ. Dean and Seth had stayed at the hotel to do more research which was always useful.

"Why are you getting so defensive with this girl?" Eve asked him whilst they stood in the street stopping people to look at AJ's picture.

"I'm not being defensive." Punk said, "Do you know this woman?" Punk asked a passer byer who just walked by him.

"You are a little." Eve said, "I know you better than to know it's not just because she's insanely good looking." She said, "So what is it?"

"I want to know what happened to her." Punk shrugged, "No one wakes up one day and just decides to do this. Something has to be snapped in their brain."

"She lives with a mental illness." Eve said, "That could help when it comes to this."

"No… no it's something that's happened to her." Punk nodded, "She fears nothing. That's not normal."

"I'm sure she fears something." Eve said.

"No, I don't think so." Punk said.

"Is it because she was an orphan? You think you can relate to her?" Eve asked him.

"No. If anything that's what's confusing me. I was an orphan and this was the path I took. She was an orphan and… she's now an assassin working for Russian Intelligence." Punk said, "Something happened to her. I don't know if it was before she went to the orphanage, or if it was when she left. But something had to have snapped in her brain. Maybe it was in prison. Who knows?" Punk said, "I don't know, I just think she's interesting."

"Well sure, so do I but… she's not the task at hand. She's just a small fraction of it, actually." Eve said.

"I know that but we're not gonna find the answers we're looking for unless we get to her." Punk said as Eve nodded.

Eve suddenly felt someone tap on her shoulder, an older woman who pointed at the picture of AJ and nodded.

"You know her?" Punk's eyes widened as the woman nodded, waving her hand in a 'follow me' wave as Punk looked at Eve before they followed the woman.

They followed her down the cobbled street and down one of the small lanes into the back of some apartments. She then went inside as they both followed her. It was obvious she didn't know any English but her guidance was the only thing that mattered.

She took them up the spiralled stairway until she stopped outside an apartment door, pointing to it and nodding.

"Thank you." Eve nodded to her as the woman just waved her hand and walked off across the landing to her own apartment.

"Do you think she'll be in?" Punk asked Eve who shrugged.

"Maybe we should find out." Eve nodded. This time they had come prepared with guns of course. Eve put her hand on the door handle and tried to open it, "Why would it be opened?" Eve whispered to him, slowly opening the door as Punk walked in first, both of them pausing immediately as they looked on at the apartment.

"She is officially insane." Eve whispered as they looked around at the balloons scattered everywhere and a giant cake sitting on the coffee table.

Punk kept his gun tight in his hand, walking through the balloons, dozens of balloons, and over to the cake which was 4 tier and gigantic.

"Welcome guests." Punk read the message on the cake as Eve looked at him.

"Well clearly she knew we'd find this place." Eve shook her head, "Nice of her to… make us feel so welcomed." She nodded sarcastically as she looked around the apartment.

The apartment was old fashioned. It didn't have a lot décor yet somehow it still looked great.

"Eve." Punk said as he noticed the gift boxes sitting on the couch, 4 to be precise, which each of their names on one.

"How does she know our names?" Eve asked, horrified.

Punk picked his up and opened up the box, looking on at his orphanage records which she had obviously printed off, "She's been looking into us." Punk nodded, taking out the records, looking through it until he saw a message at the bottom of the page which read 'no one wanted you either' with a sad face used with a colon and a bracket.

"I don't want to open mine." Eve sighed.

"Just open it." Punk said as Eve opened up the box, looking on at the necklace in it with the note 'all the way from Bulgaria' on top of it.

"How nice of her." Eve shook her head sarcastically whilst Punk opened up Dean and Seth's which was two other souvenirs from her last victims.

"Why'd she give me this?" Punk wondered suddenly, looking at his orphanage papers, trying not to look too closely as it was still a touchy subject for him, "She's given you all gifts, things she's stole, but she's gave me this?" Punk asked as Eve shrugged.

"Maybe she knows you're the boss." Eve shrugged.

"I'm not the boss." Punk said.

"Well you make all the decisions." Eve said, "I can't believe she knows our names."

"Yeah, she knows us alright." Punk nodded, stuffing the papers back in the box and shaking his head. It was like she was trying to get to him in a different way than the others, and he wasn't sure why.

"She must be off doing another job." Eve said as Punk looked around the room along with Eve, looking in drawers and dressers.

Punk found a drawer under her dresser which had guns, fake ID, knives and… "Who puts their tampons beside their guns and their knives?" Punk shook his head.

"They can be essential." Eve nodded, looking through drawers by the bed, "She likes to have fun clearly." She shook her head as she looked on at the obvious sex toys.

Punk looked under her bed, getting back to his feet when he saw nothing, looking around the bedroom a little more and in the bathroom, but nothing was there that he wasn't already expecting.

"What are you doing?" Eve asked, looking over at Punk writing down on a piece of paper.

"Leaving her a note." Punk said as Eve rolled her eyes.

"Is that necessary?" Eve asked as Punk nodded, sitting the note over by the cake as Eve looked it and nodded.

"That is true." She said as Punk nodded.

"At least we got her address." Punk said, "Come on, let's go." He nodded, leaving the apartment whilst his note which read 'I don't like frosting' on it, sat against the cake waiting for her to see.


	9. Back At Prison

**Back At Prison**

* * *

"In two days you will be transferred. Which means… you have to start a fight, I know you won't have a problem with that." Adrien shook his head, parked at the back of the prison with AJ in the front seat, "Just get the job done in two days."

"I hate this damn place." AJ whined like a child.

"It's two days." Adrien said as AJ just nodded, "Now go get into that truck over there. It'll take you into the prison as if you've just came from court."

"Yes. I know." AJ nodded, "Goodbye, my friend." She sighed dramatically, getting out of the car and heading over to the truck to get on it. It wasn't an ideal set up and she definitely couldn't think of a worst place to end up, but she knew it was part of the job.

She got taken into the prison and went through the process. They just thought she was another prisoner coming in. She had a fake ID of course and her hair was darker than it was when she was in prison for real five years ago. She looked a lot more rested too of course. No one thought anything of it.

She got changed into the prison wear after being processed, watching as they put her clothes in a box. She watched as one of the female prison guards put a glove on as she rolled her eyes.

"Here we go." AJ murmured to herself.

"Trousers down." The guard said in Russian as AJ pulled her trousers and underwear down, "Bend." She said as AJ leaned over the table.

"Is this your favourite part?" AJ groaned a little as the guard clearly searched for drugs or anything else which she might have… smuggled in with her.

"Fine." The guard nodded as AJ stood back up and pulled her trousers and underwear up.

"I prefer it in the other hole." AJ smirked as the guard slapped her across the face. AJ immediately slapped her back hard whilst the other guard in the room smacked her with the bat in her hand, repeatedly striking her on the back as AJ fell to the ground and took the beating she had been used to before.

* * *

"Nice of her to give us gifts." Seth nodded as Punk lay on top of the bed, looking at his orphanage forms which AJ had left for him, "Why'd you not get one?" He asked Punk.

"She must hate me." Punk said sarcastically, "I don't know." He shrugged seriously.

"Is it bad I sort of like this necklace?" Eve frowned.

"A little." Dean nodded, "So she wasn't in her apartment left you guys cake, balloons and presents?" He asked, "Maybe she's on crack."

"No, she's alert at all times." Punk nodded, "She just knew we'd find her place." Punk shrugged, "She must be out doing another job." He said as Seth sighed.

"Do we wait at her place for her to come back?" Seth asked, "I imagine that's the only way we get to talk to her."

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Why'd she leave you them?" He asked as Punk shrugged.

"I don't know." Punk shook his head, "And she's circled some stuff on it too." He said.

"What stuff?" Dean sat down on the edge of the bed as Punk showed him.

"Your eye colour. Height. Age." Dean looked.

"She knows what I look like." Punk said, "Why would she circle all of that?" He shook his head.

"Why would she send you that in the first place? Because she's an orphan too?" Eve asked.

"Maybe." Punk shrugged.

"Or because she likes you." Dean nodded, walking back over to his chair, picking his laptop up, "No one has probably shown her this much interest before. She's loving it." Dean said.

"Well we need her to trust us so she can talk to us and tell us who she's working for." Punk said, "If showing interest in her leads us there then it's what we have to do." He said.

"She's an assassin who is working for someone and is practically teasing us with everything we find out about her. I don't think she's gonna tell us shit." Seth admitted.

"You lot are so fucking pessimistic." Punk shook his head, "How about some positive mental attitude for once?" He asked them, sitting up a little, "Is that too much to ask for?" He asked them as they just sat in silence.

"You're right." Eve broke the silence, "We've got to do anything to get the answers and that means finding her." She nodded to Punk. It made sense, of course it did, it just seemed a little impossible to get someone so disturbed to trust them and talk to the, "We can do this." She nodded whilst Dean and Seth sat quietly, "Right, guys?" She turned to them.

"Mhm." Dean nodded.

"Uh yeah." Seth said as Eve nodded.

"Good." Punk said, "Cause it's what you get paid for." He shook his head.

"What do you suggest we do?" Dean asked, "Go sit and eat some cake in her place, wait for her to come back?" He laughed as Punk looked over at him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, that's exactly what we're gonna do." He said.

* * *

"How do I get in there?" AJ asked a guard, walking along the line to get food the next morning. She'd spotted her target working in the kitchen and she wasn't in there to mess around.

The guard ignored her of course as AJ just smiled to her, "You have pretty eyes." AJ nodded to her as the guard turned to her.

"I don't like girls." The guard hissed at her as AJ laughed.

"Oh, but you haven't tasted this one yet." AJ smirked as the guard grabbed her by the back of her neck as AJ winced.

"Enough!" The guard yelled in Russian as AJ rolled her eyes, feeling her push her over onto the ground.

She got back up to her feet, unbothered by the violence. She'd been through worse in her life. This prison did not scare her like it scared the others. The beatings, the treatment, the conditions, it didn't even phase her.

She cracked her neck from side to side and continued to walk down the line to collect food until a different guard, one who knew why she was in, one who was working with Adrien, grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey. I'm hungry." AJ sighed.

"Visitor." The guard nodded, pulling her down the corridor and out of sight, "Go." She pushed her into the room once getting there as AJ headed on in where she saw Adrien sitting.

"What are you doing in here?" AJ asked him, "Is there cameras in this room?" She looked around at the ceiling.

"No. Sit." Adrien said as AJ sat down at the table, "I thought that you might need something like this." He said, passing her a knife along the table as AJ raised her brow, "I know they have you use plastic cutlery in the kitchen."

"They do?" AJ asked horrified, "Not when I was here five years ago." AJ chuckled to herself, taking the knife from him, "I'm not putting this up my ass." She made clear.

"I'm not asking you to." Adrien rolled his eyes, "Just put it up your sleeve or in your underwear. I got it small enough so it can fold and fit." He said as AJ just nodded.

"I thought you weren't allowed to be here." AJ said.

"Well I shouldn't but no one will see me." Adrien nodded, "You have until tomorrow at 4." He said, "Kill her and have yourself put in the hole. That same guard will come get you for a supposed transfer and instead you'll meet me out the back." He nodded.

"Cool." AJ nodded calmly, "I saw her in the kitchen. I need a way in there." She said.

"I'm sure you'll find your way." Adrien nodded with full confidence in her.

"How are my CIA babies?" AJ pouted, "What are they up to?"

"Nothing. I haven't saw them do anything suspicious. Maybe you being in here might put them off. They won't know where you are or what you're doing." He nodded.

"Oh, I don't want them to forget me." AJ pouted.

"Yes, actually we do. And we want them to leave Moscow as quickly as possible."

"I never got to play with them." AJ frowned sadly.

"You can play in here." Adrien said, "Tomorrow at 4. In the hole." He said as AJ nodded, standing up and putting the disguised knife in her underwear.

"If it cuts me I can just say I have a heavy period." AJ shrugged to herself, "I did that with the razors before."

"Just… go." Adrien rolled his eyes as AJ walked back out of the room to the guard who took her by the arm and led her back to the kitchen area.

* * *

The next day, AJ was waiting in line for breakfast, annoying the guards of course while keeping her eye on her target through the kitchen. She hadn't had enough time to legally get into the kitchen so she figured she just had to make it happen.

She approached the window where they prisoners received their food at and she immediately jumped over it and into the kitchen as the guards came charging towards her.

She hadn't learned how to fight from her time in prison. She learned how to fight before, on the streets. Prison was where she got to perfect those skills. She got rid of the two guards that came at her, knocking them out, stealing their bat from them as she ran around the kitchen.

"No…" Tara shook her head as she realised what was going on. She'd heard about the killings. She thought she would have been safe in prison which was ironic, but now she was terrified.

"Yes." AJ smirked, grabbing her by the hair.

"Please no." She begged whilst the alarm began to go off. AJ got her knife out and made short work of her task at hand, it wasn't hard. She ripped her knife out of Tara and let her drop to the floor as she watched the two guards come at her.

"Come here!" AJ yelled to another prisoner, blood all over her hand and the knife, Tara's blood. She grabbed the other prisoner, putting the knife in her hand just as the guard came charging at her.

She guided the other prisoners hand, sticking the knife into the guard whilst she kicked the other one in the gut, pulling the knife out as she turned to the prisoner she'd used, "Look what you did." AJ frowned, brushing her hair from her face, getting blood on her cheek as she sighed with exhaustion.

AJ looked up at the clock as she saw it was ten minutes to four, laughing to herself as she looked around at the destruction in the kitchen. The prisoner she'd used stood terrified and still, holding the knife AJ had put into her hand, whilst the other prisoners watched from outside.

Another few guards came in as AJ put her hands up, "Drag me… to the hole!" AJ yelled.

* * *

"A guard wasn't part of the job." Adrien said, sitting in the car with AJ who was still in prison clothes with blood all over her.

"Well, she got in my way. Plus it wasn't me who killed her." AJ shrugged as Adrien shook his head, "Can you let me go home? I am very tired and I want pasta." She frowned tiredly.

"Don't you want your money?" Adrien questioned.

"Of course." AJ said as Adrien gave her the bag of money, "Double?" She noticed with a smile.

"Well, no one else but you could have gotten away with this." He admitted as AJ smiled.

"Aw." AJ said softly, "You love me." She nodded, "Do you think about me naked?" She wondered as Adrien looked at her.

"I'm married." Adrien shook his head, "And twice your age."

"Even better." AJ smiled, "I'm just wondering." She shrugged innocently.

"No, I don't. I think about you doing your job right." Adrien said as AJ shrugged, "I still have nothing on the CIA people. Maybe they've gone home but I haven't got word about them being at the airport." He admitted, puzzled.

"I think about them a lot." AJ sighed.

"Why?" Adrien asked her.

"I don't know." AJ shrugged, "I like when people try to catch me." She smiled, "And they're really pretty." She nodded.

"Well just forget about them. If they found you they'd probably kill you or have you locked up forever."

"But I have… immunity." AJ turned to him.

"And they also know you've killed a lot of people." Adrien said.

"They were bad people." AJ folded her arms.

"They don't know that. And they can't ever know that. They can't know why you're doing this. No one can. It's bad for the government." He said as AJ just yawned deliberately.

"Ok ok." AJ said, "Take me home I need this blood off of me and I really want some cake." She admitted with a smile.


	10. Face To Face

**Face To Face**

* * *

AJ got home to her place later that night. She was still in prison wear and had dried in blood over her face, neck and hands. She wasn't bothered by it.

She walked up the spiralled stairs to her apartment tiredly, holding the bag of money over her shoulder as she got to her apartment door.

She opened up the door, noticing her balloons she had left were all popped, frowning sadly as she closed the door behind her, throwing her keys into the pot by the door and dumping her bag down.

She walked further into the apartment and paused when she saw the four people she couldn't stop thinking about. Dean was standing by the window, Seth at the kitchen table on his laptop, Eve standing by the couch whilst Punk was sat on the couch.

She smiled to herself and nodded, "Gosh I would have… dressed a little more appropriate if I knew I had visitors." She sighed as Punk looked across at her, studying the blood all over her and the obvious prison uniform she was in. She was a hard one to figure out for sure.

AJ smiled at them all as they didn't appear to be saying anything. She knew they were trying to intimidate her but it just didn't work on her.

She walked over to the cake she'd left, swiping her finger over the frosting and putting it in her mouth, sucking on her finger as she looked over at Punk who stared at her.

"Who doesn't like frosting?" She picked up the note by the cake.

"I don't." Punk stood up as AJ raised her eyebrows and looked at him.

"You're weird." AJ smiled as Punk just nodded.

"You're a little messy." Eve said, walking over to AJ as AJ looked her up and down.

"You're hotter in person." AJ smiled as Eve looked at her.

"Whose blood is that?" Dean asked, "Next target I assume?"

"Clever." AJ nodded sarcastically, "I am… so tired." She huffed tiredly, "And so dirty." She looked at herself, "Could I take a bath? You can watch if you like." She smiled, again, turning to stare at Punk as he looked across at her.

"We're not leaving." Punk nodded to her.

"I don't want you to leave." AJ frowned, taking her t-shirt off and throwing it over at him as it hit him on the face, "I shan't be long." She hummed, walking off into her bedroom in just her trousers and bra whilst Punk threw her t-shirt away and ran his hand over his hair.

"Look into the prison system and see what's going on." Punk nodded to Seth, "They must have put her back there to kill someone." He said as Seth nodded.

"How can she act so calm like that?" Eve asked, "And is she a lesbian?" She wondered.

"Explains how Clara was killed." Dean nodded.

"She had a boyfriend before. Remember. The one she killed?" Punk asked them as they stayed quiet.

"Yeah a female died in the prison that she was in before." Seth nodded, "Tara Moslav. A guard was also killed and three are in hospital." He looked up.

"Get into the prisons cameras, see what she was up to, who she was speaking to in the prison. Someone had to have got her in there, with connections to the prison." Punk said, listening to the bath running in her bedroom.

"I have pictures of her walking down the corridors just… normal like everyone else." Seth said, "And then a guard takes her at one point." He said as Punk walked over and looked on at the footage, "That's definitely her, right?"

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Are we really gonna wait on her having a bath?" Dean rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, we are." Punk said, "Being violent with her isn't going to get us anywhere. So everyone keep their fists to themselves."

Meanwhile AJ was in the bath. She wasn't fussed they were in her place, she was excited to talk to them, to see what they really wanted from her.

She relaxed in her bath, glad to be clean again, before getting out and putting on some shorts and t-shirt. She left the bathroom and crouched down to the dresser in her closet, opening it up and smiling to herself as she saw they had taken her guns and weapons, but left the tampons of course.

She left her bedroom, looking at them all scattered around, "Did no one want my tampons?" She asked them innocently as Dean just scoffed.

"Sit down." Punk nodded to her as AJ turned to him, "We want to talk with you."

"Ok." AJ rolled her eyes and sat down across from him on the chair, "What do you want to know?" She smiled.

"Who are you working for?" Eve immediately jumped in as Punk looked up at her.

AJ just laughed a little and looked at Eve, "Next question." AJ waved her hand.

"We're not gonna hurt you. We're not here to get you." Punk nodded to her, "We just want you to tell us who you're doing all of this for? Why you're doing it?" He asked her.

"Speaking to me in a softer voice doesn't mean I'm gonna tell you." AJ laughed hysterically as Punk looked across at her whilst Dean shook his head.

"Ok, then… how about you just fucking tell us." Punk stood up, taking his gun out and pointing it down at her as AJ smiled and laughed.

"That's better." AJ smiled, happier that he had pulled a gun out on her.

"Who are you working for? A name?" Punk asked as AJ looked up at him.

"Why do you want to know so bad?" AJ questioned curiously.

"Maybe because you're killing a lot of people for some reason and it's… illegal." Eve said as AJ turned to her.

"I'm just doing a job. I don't know who it's for or what it's for." AJ shrugged, "I'm… I'm in the dark." She said.

"I knew it." Dean nodded to himself.

"You report back to someone. You get money from someone. Who? Give us a name?" Punk asked as AJ rolled her eyes.

"Adrien." AJ shrugged.

"Adrien who?" Seth asked.

"I don't know his second name." AJ shrugged, "Honestly, I don't." She said truthfully, "I don't ask questions. I just do my job like they asked me to."

"Because they gave you immunity from prison? From all of this?" Eve asked, "Only government can do that so… who are you working for?" She asked.

"I honestly don't know." AJ laughed, "You're all so angry." AJ sighed, twirling her hair around her finger.

"Why do you do this?" Punk asked her, "What do you get out of killing these people?" He asked.

"Lots of money." AJ nodded, "Sometimes sex." She said, "Jewellery." She looked at Eve, "A home." She looked around at her apartment, "It's great." She shrugged.

"How can you kill them? So many?" Eve asked.

"I'm sure you've all killed people." AJ shrugged.

"Not without good reason." Eve said.

"I have good reason." AJ nodded.

"Then tell us what it is?" Punk asked.

"Money." She laughed as Punk put his finger on the trigger as AJ watched him, "You won't shoot me." She smiled, draping her legs over the chair, "I mean too much to you." She hummed.

"Then just tell us what you know. This man… Adrien… when he came to you in prison, what did he say to you?" Punk asked her.

"Gosh, that was a long time ago." AJ groaned, "Hmm… he said he needed help with something. He gave me immunity, told me how to get out of prison, then he gave me my first job." She shrugged.

"And why would you do it?" Punk asked.

"Because I didn't want to spend another thirty years getting beaten up in that disgusting prison." She said.

"Why'd you kill your boyfriend?" Eve asked. They all had their questions that they couldn't help ask.

"These questions feel… a little irrelevant." AJ stood up.

"Well with all due respect." Dean said, "We're just trying to understand you and not believe you're a complete nutjob psycho killer." He laughed a little as AJ walked over to him, taking the knife out which she had hid in her tampon box.

Dean immediately gulped as he felt her press the edge of the cool knife against his neck, "What did you call me?" She asked.

"Hey, c'mon." Punk said.

"I called you a nutjob, psycho killer." Dean said as AJ looked at him, pointing the edge of the knife in at his throat whilst Punk looked on.

"Don't do it." Punk said, "We can help you." He nodded, "We can help you get away from these people. They're using you. They're using how bright and quick and talented you are." He said, "But they're not using it for good." He said as AJ eyed him slightly to the side of her.

"You don't know me." AJ spat, not looking at him.

"I know something bad happened to you." Punk nodded whilst Dean gulped, feeling the knife against his neck, "I know… I know that something terrible has happened to you but… you came out a fighter for it." He said, "And these people you're doing this for… they've taken advantage of that." He said as AJ listened to him, "So just… put the knife down, and just tell us what you know." He nodded as AJ slowly lowered the knife down from Dean's neck, backing off as she looked at them all.

"I don't know anything that will help you." AJ looked across at Punk. For some reason. He stood out in the room. Not just because he was doing most of the talking, but he just seemed to stand out more to her, "You have… beautiful eyes." AJ nodded as Punk looked across at her and shook his head whilst the others looked on with confusion.

"Uh… ok." Punk said.

"Adrien Petrov." Seth said as he turned his laptop around, "This is an Adrien who works in the cabinet under the foreign minister." He said as Punk began to move over when AJ pointed the knife at him, pressing it against his chest as Punk looked down at her.

"Stay." AJ spat, as if talking to a dog, walking over to the laptop first as Seth gulped, shuffling away a little as AJ deliberately bent over the table to look at the laptop.

"Is that him?" Seth asked, frightened to talk to her as AJ looked at the picture of Adrien.

"Yes." AJ said bluntly as Seth looked over to Punk.

"Why him?" Punk asked, "Did you know you were working for the government?" He asked her as she didn't say anything, looking on at Adrien's details.

"This guy works under the foreign minister in the government." Seth said, "So why would they need you to kill these people? What are they hiding?" He asked AJ who just stood back up straight and turned around.

"You can all leave." AJ said, walking over to the door.

"I'm afraid we can't do that." Punk said, "We can't let you go… do another job." He nodded.

"So what… you're gonna babysit me? Throw me back in prison?" AJ asked.

"Eve is gonna stay with you." Punk nodded AJ turned to Eve.

"I'd rather you stayed with me." AJ looked across at Punk with a smirk as Punk just rolled his eyes, "No, no one is staying. I need my privacy." Her smile quickly faded

"So you can go kill more people?" Dean asked.

"We got our guy." Eve said, "We can set our sights on him now. She doesn't matter." She said as AJ looked across at her.

"I don't matter?" AJ asked them, gripping her knife a little tighter, walking over to Eve who looked at her, "Why don't I matter?" AJ frowned.

"Because you're a-" Eve paused as she felt AJ pushed the knife into her side.

"Hey!" Seth got to his feet as AJ ripped the knife back out from her, dropping the knife on the ground as Punk rushed to Eve.

AJ scrambled into her bedroom, grabbing a coat in her dresser which she knew had fake ID and money in.

"Call 911." Punk said whilst Seth held his hands on Eve's side to apply pressure, "It's gonna be ok. Look at me." He told Eve who was moaning with the pain, "It's gonna be fine." He nodded, cupping her cheek whilst he felt his gun being snatched from him.

"Why didn't you shoot her?!" Dean asked Punk who was the only one with a gun. He was so confused as to why Punk hadn't shot her when she drove a knife into Eve, "Stupid bitch deserves to die." He said, bursting into the bedroom with his gun raised as he paused, looking at the wide opened window where AJ had clearly left out of.

"She's gone." Dean said, walking back into the living room whilst Eve was sitting on the floor with Punk and Seth around her.

"The ambulance is coming, just… just hang on, alright?" Seth nodded to her as Eve wheezed as she took deep breaths.

"Dean, shut everything down here. Close that laptop." Punk told Dean who nodded whilst they awaited the ambulance.


	11. Unpredictable

**Unpredictable**

* * *

"Why didn't you shoot her right away?" Dean asked Punk as they stood outside Eve's hospital room. She was stabilised thankfully. The ambulance got to her in quick timing and they managed to help her before it was too late. Seth was sitting with her in the room whilst Punk and Dean were outside.

"I wasn't thinking." Punk shook his head.

"Bullshit. You want her kept alive for what… reason I don't know." Dean shook his head, "She's just stabbed our best friend. This girl isn't going to change. She's so far gone. And yeah, that might be a shame because maybe some bad things have happened to her but you know what? I don't care." Dean said, "And she doesn't either. So whatever strategy you have to get through to her, it's not going to work." He said as Punk just nodded.

"Blame me if it makes you feel better." Punk nodded to him.

"I'm not blaming you." Dean said, "I blame her. We have our name. Our guy. Now unless she goes and warns him, then I think we need to take action quickly with him, so we can get to the bottom of all of this." He said.

"She's not gonna warn him." Punk shook his head.

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"I just know she won't." Punk said, "She had this look on her face, when she saw that guy on the laptop. It's like she didn't even know who he was. Like she didn't know who she was really working for." He said as Dean looked at him.

"You think she's really been in the dark this whole time?" Dean asked him.

"It looks that way." Punk said, "The way I see it… here is this girl, she's had a rough life, something terrible has happened to her and she snapped on her boyfriend, she changed. She goes to prison, she learns her craft, she successfully escapes but gets found and taken back. This guy… Adrien, and the foreign minister, they get word of it just as they're looking for someone to get rid of all of these people." He said, "They bribe her with immunity and get her out. They tell her very little but she does it anyway. She wants the money, she wants a life outside of prison and you know what… I think she wants to kill these people too." Punk nodded, "That's what's going on here. They're just using her. They don't care about her." He shook his head, "And I think she knows that." He nodded.

"But why do they need her to kill these people? What do all these people know?" Dean asked.

"Something that might corrupt them probably. Drugs, trafficking, deals… nothing we haven't seen before. They're using April to cover their asses." Punk said as Dean nodded.

"So we need to find this Adrien guy." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" He turned around, looking through the window where Eve was in bed whilst Seth was trying to keep her spirits upbeat.

"Yeah, she's been through worse." Dean nodded, "It was like she just snapped when Eve said she didn't matter. Like something went off." He said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said, "I wonder where she went." He said. He couldn't help think about her way too much. He thought about where she was, what she was doing, what she was planning to do. She was in his head constantly and that wasn't something he was used to.

"Ran off the face of the earth hopefully." Dean said.

* * *

" _You don't matter!"_

AJ jumped awake, sitting on a couch gripping a gun as she yawned and sat up tiredly. She looked at the clock and sighed as she waited patiently, fiddling around with her gun. She then heard the door open in the house and stood up eagerly, watching as Adrien walked through.

"Jesus!" Adrien jumped with fear as he placed his hand on his chest.

"Hello." AJ said, holding her gun by her side as Adrien looked across at her.

"How do you… how do you know where I live?" Adrien asked. He really told her nothing.

"I know everything." AJ narrowed her eyes at him.

"Where are my family?" Adrien panicked, "What have you done to them?" He whined.

"Oh, nothing. I let them run away screaming." AJ shrugged, "It's you I want." She tilted her head as Adrien walked further into the room.

"What do you want? Another job?" Adrien asked, "I'm talking with people, you know this-"

"I want you to tell me why I'm killing these people for you?" AJ asked him as Adrien looked across at her.

"You know I can't-"

"You'll tell me!" AJ yelled, raising her gun at him as Adrien gulped, "You'll tell me, or I'll kill you and go find out anyway." AJ spat as Adrien put his hands up.

"Just… calm down." Adrien nodded as AJ kept the gun pointed at him, "What difference will it make to you? Why do you want to know?"

"Just… tell me." AJ said sadistically as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Ok." Adrien nodded, knowing what she was capable of, "Ok. These people. There's a list of their names." He gulped as AJ listened closely, "They all contributed as part of the group nineteen. It's where illegal trades were made a few years ago to make more money for the government state, giving our superpower status more hype." He said, "We put this money into our military, our economy, for good reasons." He swallowed the terrified lump in his throat as AJ kept her gun pointed at him fiercely.

"Mhm… and what else?" AJ shook the gun at him.

"Ok, so… all of these people made contributions whether it was through drugs, trafficking, weapons, illegal trades." Adrien said, "Someone threatened to expose it so we… we needed someone like you. Skilled. To get rid of them." He said, "The foreign minister figured it would be best if… we got rid of all of them. Everyone who knew." He nodded, "So that's when we needed you to do more jobs. I didn't tell you because you never asked and it was better you didn't know. You didn't care anyway." Adrien said, "So can you… put the gun down? I've told you everything." Adrien nodded as AJ lowered her gun and looked at him.

"I gave those CIA spies your name." AJ said, "They found you in seconds." She said coldly as Adrien tilted her head.

"What are you talking about?" Adrien shook his head.

"They're probably coming for you." AJ nodded, "I didn't tell them what I knew, because I didn't know anything, but I gave them your name and now they know who you are, who you work for. They won't know why all these people are dying but… they'll figure that out pretty soon I'd imagine." AJ said.

"What did I tell you? I told you to stay away from them!" Adrien yelled as AJ raised her gun back up at him as he put his hands up.

"Don't raise your voice at me." AJ warned him.

"Why are you acting like this is all news to you?" Adrien questioned, "You knew it was government business."

"Well I wanted the full story. Now I have it." AJ nodded.

"And now what?" Adrien asked, "Now the frickin CIA are coming for me?" He asked her.

"Well then you should have just let me take care of them!" AJ yelled angrily.

"No, that's not your job." Adrien spat, "You're just our psychotic assassin who does our dirty work. When someone is gonna want point fingers, they're gonna point them at you." He nodded as AJ looked across at him angrily, "Now put down the gun or I'll have you put back in the hole you came from."" He said as AJ hovered her finger on the trigger.

"I don't matter?" AJ questioned as Adrien looked across at her.

"You do. You're important to me." Adrien nodded, "You do your job well and you've saved us a lot of trouble-"

"Us?" AJ laughed, "You and your government friends." She nodded, "Why wouldn't you tell me about this nineteen organisation in the first place? Why did you keep me in the dark?" She asked.

The only reason she hadn't questioned why she was doing what she was doing, was because no one had ever really convinced her to. The CIA spies definitely had her curious.

"Because it was better. Don't act like it would have made a different. You're a psychopath. You'd do it for free if I asked you no doubt."

"I'm a what?" AJ asked him.

"Well c'mon… no one in their right mind can do all the horrible things you've done. Not all the money in the world could persuade people to do what you've done." Adrien said, "But that's why you're so powerful, so useful-"

AJ heard enough, pulling the trigger as she shot him on the chest, watching him collapse on the ground as she looked over, sighing to herself as she gripped the gun.

She walked over to his body which was bleeding out, crouching down as she watched the life slowly suck out of him, "I'm not a psychopath." AJ shook her head softly whilst watching his eyes clothes over.

She knew what she'd done wasn't normal, but she knew she was killing bad people. She didn't feel much emotion in her life. And she wasn't going to cry about it and say it was because of everything she'd been through, but when people made judgement on her, something just snapped in her. She wasn't the same little girl she was before. Punk was right. Something terrible did happen to her. This is how she dealt with it now.

* * *

"How are you doing?" Punk asked Eve who just nodded, all of them in her room, "Still sore?" Punk said as Eve nodded.

"Yeah, it's not getting much better." She laughed a little.

"You've been through worse." Seth nodded, "You'll get through it like you always do." He said as Eve smiled softly.

"She terrifies me." Eve admitted truthfully, "Her eyes. The look in them before she stabbed me. It was like something just snapped." She said, "I've never saw anything like it before." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, we're gonna focus our attention onto this… Adrien guy working in government. Talking to him means we'll get our answers." He nodded, "April can come later." He said, "Just you focus on getting better and recovering. When you're ready we'll get you flew out to the states, take some time off, be with your family." Punk nodded.

"Are you kidding?" Eve screwed her eyes up, "No, I wanna be here to help you guys." She said as Punk smiled, "Even if I have to lie down the entire time." She said as Punk smiled, rubbing her arm softly.

"Uh… guys." Dean looking at his phone with worry as they looked over.

"What?" Punk asked.

"Adrien is dead." Dean said as Seth sat up a little, "He was shot a few hours ago in his home." He looked at them all as Punk ran his hands through his hair.

"Whose side is she on?" Eve shook her head with confusion.

"She's not on anyone's side." Punk said, "She's doing what's best for her." Punk nodded, "Killing him means we won't get answers which means we can't hold her accountable to anything." He said, "And we can't exactly run up on the cabinet, can we?"

"There must be another way." Seth said.

"I can't believe she killed him. What the hell is wrong with her?" Eve shook her head as Punk stood up and groaned.

"I'm going for a walk. I need to think." He sighed to himself, walking out of the room as Dean sighed.

"Why is this girl getting to him so much?" Seth asked.

"You know he always tries to look at people in different lights from everyone else." Dean shook his head, "There's no light on her at all."


	12. Help

**Help**

* * *

AJ went to her apartment after her encounter with Adrien as she realised it may have been time for her to pack a bag. She knew all along that she was being used because she could fulfil these jobs that no one else could. Jobs she'd managed to perfect because of what she had been through in her life. Her childhood, her upbringing, her time in prison. She knew who she was killing were also bad people, but things felt like they were crumbling with the CIA around, and her first instinct was to get the hell out.

She walked into her bedroom and grabbed a bag out. Of course the first thing she did was unload her money which she kept under a loose floorboard. She had a lot of it. Some was in her bank account too. She didn't regret doing what she had done. She wanted to do it. She wasn't forced. It was her decision.

She packed the money in and then shoved a few pieces of clothing, along with her wigs. She wasn't sure who she'd come across, she wasn't sure if her duties would be called upon a game, so she was leaving prepared.

She was just about packing her guns when she heard someone come into her apartment. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, turning around immediately and holding her gun up as she saw Punk standing with his hands up.

"It's just me." Punk said worriedly as she looked at him closely, "I'm not gonna hurt you." He said. He felt like he had to assure her of that for some reason.

After talking with the guys about Adrien being killed, Punk figured AJ would have returned to her apartment to prepare for an escape. He decided to go himself this time.

"Go away." AJ told him.

"Where are you going?" He nodded to the bag as AJ walked closer to him, pushing him against the wall and pressing the gun at his neck. But when she looked at him, he didn't seem scared at all. She'd never met anyone doing all her jobs, where they were so calm around her. He was. It confused her.

"None of your business." AJ spat, pressing the gun a little heavier in at his neck as Punk looked down at her, "You're not my friend. You want to use me for information and then lock me up again." She nodded, "It's not happening." She warned him.

"You can help us." Punk nodded as AJ backed off and looked at him, "I know you're not… normal." He said as AJ widened her eyes and tilted her head a little, "There's no way you could be after everything you've done."

"I was doing my job." AJ said.

"You still killed a lot of people. In some brutal ways." Punk reminded her as AJ shrugged. She had no remorse. To him, that meant there was something wrong with her.

"They were bad people." AJ defended, even though she didn't really care.

"You're working for bad people." Punk said, "This is government business. They hired you to do these jobs. Do you have any idea how corrupt that is?" He asked her.

"I don't ask questions. I just do my job and I get it done." AJ said, walking back over to her bag and continuing to pack.

"Something happened to you." Punk nodded, "And I don't know what but… you snapped. Maybe it was when you killed your boyfriend." He said as AJ looked over at him.

"Don't try and figure me out like I'm some puzzle. You don't know me." AJ spat.

"I want to understand you." Punk said.

"Really? You think you can understand me and my life? How my brain works?" She asked him, "I don't think so, sweetheart." AJ laughed a little.

"You could help us. You could help us find the real people behind this in government." Punk nodded as AJ screwed her face up.

"I don't want to help you." AJ shook her head, "You're the cliché good guys and I'm the one who does all the bad things for all the bad people. Our relationship would end with me killing you after you say something wrong." She said, "Just like your little girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend." Punk said, "And she's gonna be ok." He said, "I could have shot you right there and then. I never miss. But I chose to let you go."

"My saviour." AJ said sarcastically, "I've endured more than a gun shot in my life. I would have lived." She shrugged, unbothered.

"Look, I'm offering you safety with us." Punk nodded, "You can come with us, help us, or you can go on the run and just run into more bad people who want to use you." He said as AJ looked across at him, "What do you even feel when you kill someone?" He asked her.

"Nothing." AJ said bluntly, "I don't feel anything." She told him, "Am I supposed to?" She shrugged innocently as Punk just looked at her.

"Why'd you kill Adrien?" Punk asked her as AJ huffed dramatically.

"Well technically because he was mean to me. But I knew you guys were going after him so I guess I just… delayed you a little more. No him means… no more information." She smiled a little.

"Why are you protecting the government when you know what they're doing is wrong?" Punk asked.

"I'm not protecting the government I'm protecting myself. And I don't care if they're doing something wrong. They're doing something smart." She shrugged, "Good for them." She nodded, "I grew up here. This is my home-"

"You were born in Chicago." Punk said as AJ looked over at him, "I was too." He nodded.

"What a shame for us." AJ teased.

"How did you get here? On the streets when you were thirteen?" Punk asked, "On your own?"

"It's none of your business." AJ hummed, "And I'm getting sick of you trying to dig into my past. It's not that exciting." She shrugged.

"I'm not looking for excitement." Punk said, "I just want to know you better so I can understand you." He said as AJ looked across at him.

"Have you thought about me naked before?" AJ smiled as Punk raised his eyebrows. She was such an eccentric character but so focused and smart. He'd never met anyone like her.

"Uh… no." Punk shook his head.

"Have you thought about fucking me?" AJ asked calmly, as if it was a normal question.

"What? No." Punk shook his head as AJ just sighed.

"Why not?" She frowned sadly, as if upset that he wasn't.

"B-Because." Punk said, "I'm trying to help you here. I get you might not be used to that but I promise I'm not in it to stab you in the back or trick you. I know it's not in your nature to trust people, just like me."

"Well then don't ask me to trust you." AJ shrugged, "It's that simple." She nodded, "I think about you fucking me." She nodded simply as Punk looked across at her, "Really hard. Really good." She said as Punk folded his arms.

"Stop it." Punk nodded as AJ shrugged.

"What? You think you can relate to me just because we have abandonment issues and we don't trust people? You think we're similar because of that?" AJ asked.

"Well at least I can understand how that feels." Punk said, "I know what it's like to not have anyone. To be alone." He nodded as AJ looked across at him. She'd never met anyone who really wanted to relate to her and make her not feel so strange.

"You just want me to help you and then as soon as you get your answers, I'm coming straight back to prison here and let me tell you something, I'd rather just die than go back there." She nodded to him, "So… you may as well just kill me if that's your plan." She shrugged.

"What'd they do to you in there?" Punk asked her.

"Everything." AJ said bluntly.

"You feel good after you killed those guards?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah, I did." AJ nodded to him.

"Where are you gonna go to?" Punk asked her, looking at her bag, noticing the wigs in it, "Trying to find something else who needs your skills?"

"Maybe." AJ nodded, "Maybe I was getting bored of Adrien. Maybe I want something different." She shrugged.

"Or maybe you could help us. You can wear a different wig every day if it helps you." He nodded as AJ just made an unimpressed face, "But we need your help. I need your help." He nodded, "And once we're done, you can… you can take off. We're not gonna put you back in prison. Technically your dead so… I wouldn't know how to get around all of that." He admitted truthfully as AJ looked at him.

"Have you talked to your friends about this? Especially the one who I just stabbed?" AJ asked.

"They'll understand." Punk assured her, "I'm not asking you to change who you are." He said, "Or explain to me why you're like this." He said, "Just help us." He nodded as AJ folded her arms and arched a brow.

"How do you expect me to trust you?" AJ asked, "You of all people, I should be running in the opposite direction from."

"But you're not. You wanted us to find you. Maybe that's your cry for help." Punk said.

"I don't cry." AJ made clear.

"Well I didn't mean literally." He said childishly as AJ made a face at him.

"I'm really not good at… being good. I mean I'm rooting for the government. With whatever they did." She shrugged as Punk tilted his head.

"Did Adrien tell you?" Punk asked.

"Tell me what?" AJ asked, beginning to pack again.

"Everything. Before he died. Did you get him to tell you about why you were killing these people?" Punk asked as AJ carried on packing. She felt like this man was in her brain. It was terrifying. She never understood when people said they had met their match but it felt extremely like that with him.

"No." AJ shook her head.

"You know now." Punk realised, "You know why… you know what they're trying to cover up." He said, walking closer to her as AJ lifted her gun at him. He could see it in her face.

"I will literally shoot you just like I did with him." AJ warned seriously as Punk looked at her, "Back off." She pointed the gun at him as Punk stepped back a little, "I know nothing. You need to leave now cause I'm getting angry." She said.

"Help us." Punk shook his head, "We could use your help. For good. Not for what they people had you doing." He nodded.

"Well I'm not good." AJ said bluntly, "And you're annoying me now." She admitted, "So don't think I won't kill you." She warned as Punk just looked at her and nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, realising he was starting to push her buttons, "I'm gonna leave my number and the office address that we're working at in London-"

"I have the address." AJ scoffed.

"What?" Punk shook his head as AJ opened up her laptop on the dresser and went into the camera she had on their office, "What the fuck-"

"I got eyes everywhere." AJ nodded as Punk looked at her. Her power was she wasn't just physically talented but she was fast and smart. Even more so than he thought.

"Well then I'll… I'll leave my number." He said as AJ walked over to her phone, dialling a number and waiting as Punk heard his phone start to ring.

He looked up at her as she smirked at him. He took his phone out of his pocket and answered it, "Hello." He looked at her as she raised her phone.

"I have your number too." She spoke into the phone as Punk made a childish face at her and hung up the call, "Anything else? You wanna leave me your bank details?"

"Do you have them?" Punk worried.

"No." AJ scoffed as Punk just looked across at her, both of them staring at one another, "Ok, get out." AJ waved her hand.

"Just… if you change your mind. Please… we could use the help." He nodded. He wasn't going to treat her like an assassin. He wasn't going to tie her to a chair and get information from her. He believed that would only push her further away. He just wanted her to know it was ok to trust him.

"Get out." AJ nodded as Punk backed off and left the apartment as AJ continued to pack her things.


	13. Defensive

**Defensive**

* * *

"You did what?!" Dean shook his head, standing in the hospital room where Punk had just gotten back from AJ's place, explaining to everyone what he had said to her.

"Look, I think it's better if we have her on our side right now. Don't you?" He asked them.

"She'll kill us." Seth said, "She won't care. She doesn't want to help us." He said.

"I think she knows now. I think she went to Adrien for answers, answers we're looking for too, and then she shot him." Punk nodded.

"Exactly. He gave her what she wanted and she still killed him. She's not working with us. Over my dead body." Dean said.

"We could use her help right now. You guys can't deny that. She knows things. She's smart. Really smart." Punk nodded, "And she's just gonna flee this country and get picked up by some other government in corruption who need her help." He said, "I want to help her escape that."

"She stabbed me." Eve whispered, looking up at Punk, "She stabbed me and you want to help her?" She shook her head.

"I know." Punk nodded, "I know it's crazy and she's not… normal and she's terrifying, I know all of that but we have a job to do." He said.

"You sound just like her." Dean said, "What is she gonna do? Come join us in the office in London? Come back to Virginia with us? Be part of the team?"

"If she's giving us answers and helping us then yes." Punk said.

"Have you lost your mind?" Seth asked, "She is an assassin. She's unpredictable. She could just randomly kill us all."

"She's not gonna do that." Punk said.

"What? Because you know her so well." Dean mocked.

"I'm trying to get this job finished." Punk said angrily, "And all you guys are doing is complaining and delaying it. I'm trying to move forward with this and get our answers and if she helps us, it speeds the process up." He said.

"She tried to kill Eve." Seth said.

"I know that. I'm not saying she has to be our best friend." Punk said, "But she can be useful to us right now. She has my number, the office address in London, if she comes by willing to help then we are taking that help because she's the best chance we have at finding this out." He said as Dean just shook his head.

"Her crazy must be rubbing off on you." Dean said, "I can't believe you're really inviting an assassin to come work for us." He shook his head.

"She's not working for us she's just giving us some help." Punk said, "She might not even come. She might run away and start killing for other people somewhere." He said, "But I know she has to get out of here now after killing Adrien. She knows that and we know that. The best thing for her to do would be to join us and help us." Punk said, "Don't make me out to be crazy. You all know it makes sense."

"I don't think I can sit in a room with her." Eve admitted truthfully.

"I don't wanna sit in a room with her." Dean said.

"If you spoke to her like a normal human being instead of treating her like she's a psychopath, then maybe you'd realise she is quite normal." He said as Dean tilted his head.

"Are you psychotic? There is nothing normal about her." Dean said, "She stabbed Eve right in front of us. She has killed lots and lots of people. She slit her boyfriends throat." He said, "Why do you have such a hard on for this girl?"

"I don't. I'm trying to help us with this case. It's the best shot we have." He said.

"He's right." Seth nodded as Dean turned to him, "She would help us out if she gave us information she knew." He said as Punk nodded.

"But we can't trust her." Eve said, "I think I'm a prime example of that."

"If we make sure she knows that we're not out to use her or get her put back in prison then… I think she would come around." Punk nodded with hope.

"Well she has our fucking address anyway so… I'm sure she'll show up if she wants to help us." Dean shook his head, "I can't believe this is actually a thing."

"She might not think twice." Punk said, "She might be on a flight half-way across the world right now." He said.

"That would be ideal." Dean said.

"Hey, man. I wanna clear this up. I wanna be home for Christmas this year." He said, "The quicker we find this information and the people and names we need, the quicker we can wrap it up, and she's our one-way ticket to all of that." He nodded as Dean just folded his arms, "You know I'm right."

"Well yes, but I hate the bitch." Dean said.

"That's ok. I'm sure she hates all of us too." Punk nodded.

"How do you know she'll even come help us? She doesn't look like the type to help anyone." Seth said.

"I just have a feeling." Punk nodded, "We just gotta focus on Eve getting better and getting back to London." He said.

"Doctor says I'll be out in a few days." Eve nodded.

"Are you sure you don't wanna go home for a bit? Have some proper rest?" Seth asked her.

"No, I'm not leaving you guys." Eve said, "Even if I have to do boring desk work." She said as Punk nodded with a smile.

"Well you can handle this lunatic." Dean said, "Anything goes wrong, she's yours to deal with." Dean told Punk who just nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, "You can all thank me when you're at home eating turkey with your family on Christmas instead of sitting round a computer desk still trying to get answers." He said as Dean just rolled his eyes.

* * *

A few days later after Eve was discharged from the hospital, they headed back to London with all of their things. A part of Punk was hoping AJ would already be there but he still wasn't sure if she was even going to show up at all. He hoped she would. They needed her help, they couldn't deny that.

"You ok?" Punk asked Eve who sat down in the office, "You sure you don't wanna go to the hotel and take a few hours rest?" He asked her.

"No, I'm good." Eve nodded. They all knew how to push through pain very well.

"Ok, anything you need just… let me know." He told her as she smiled.

Whilst Dean and Seth set all their equipment back up, Punk added to the board which they had left, adding more information on it with more killings, more information about AJ and more names.

"What you doing?" Punk asked, looking over at Dean who was on his computer.

"I'm trying to look into Adrien. Get into his files." Dean said as Punk nodded.

"I've tried. It's impossible. You need serial keys for the government ministers." Seth said.

"He's not a minister though." Dean shook his head.

"He still worked for the government." Seth said, "It's impossible to get in." He nodded, "We'd probably have to… find people who are around this guy, chip away around it so we can get closer to the information and the real people behind it. Looks like Adrien was just taking orders." He nodded as Punk folded his arms.

"Ok, let's try and get some names who work under the foreign minister. When we do we can look into their whereabouts, what they do on the daily, like Seth said… just chip away at it."

"Aren't these people going to be panicking now?" Eve asked, "Adrien is dead and April has fled somewhere. They no longer have their assassin covering up their dirty work." She said.

"So they'll just find a new psycho." Dean shrugged.

"Can you stop calling her that?" Punk asked as they all turned to him.

"She is, though." Dean said, "I mean I'm not calling her names I'm stating facts."

"She's not a psycho." Punk said, "Just… find out the names working for the foreign minister so we can look into them. Maybe other people know things." He said as they just nodded.

"Can I… talk to you?" Eve asked him, getting to her feet slowly, "In private?" She asked quietly as Punk nodded, walking out of the small office and out to the doorway.

"Are you ok?" Punk asked her.

"Are you ok?" Eve countered, "Talk to me. What's going on with this girl? Why are you so… defensive over her? Has something happened?" Eve asked.

"No… I just…" Punk ran his hand through his hair, "She just seems really hurt on the inside. I'm no psychologist but what she's doing, it has to do with what's happened to her." He said, "And she has these moments where she looks like… I don't know, like she's triggered." He said, "And she's really alone. I feel bad for her." Punk said.

"She chose to do this." Eve said, "This was her decision."

"She was in prison and they were probably beating her every day. Wouldn't you jump at the chance to get out of there?" Punk asked her.

"She was a killer before prison, though. Prison didn't make her this way." Eve said, "She slit her boyfriend's throat, Phil. She's bipolar. She's not… right in the head." Eve said in the nicest way possible.

"Why did she slit his throat? What did he do to her?" Punk wondered.

"Maybe he didn't do anything. Just like all those people she killed didn't do anything to her." Eve said, "She's a bad person. That's why I'm confused as to why you're always defending her."

"I don't know, maybe it's the orphanage thing." Punk said, "I know what that's like. To not feel wanted by the only people who are supposed to love you no matter what. Lots of people have the luxury of having parents and siblings. I don't know what that feels like, at all." He said as Eve looked at him sadly.

She couldn't imagine not having a mother or a father, or siblings. It was hard to understand and she knew it did get to him.

"I'm not crying about it." Punk rolled his eyes, "I'm over it at this point but… I know how she feels." Punk nodded.

"You don't." Eve said, "Being an orphan is just one little small part of her life. She took a bad turn in life. You didn't. You used all that sadness you felt and you put it into something really good and useful. All of this." She nodded, "Your job." She said, "And you're great at it. She unfortunately took it in a negative way." She nodded.

"But why?" Punk sighed. He just knew something else was lying beneath the surface with AJ. He saw her for her. He wasn't sure if he was the only one to notice, but he just felt like he could get through to her a little better than anyone else.

"I don't know." Eve said, "Right now our focus isn't her. Yes, she could be very helpful to us but right now she's not here and we have to work." She said as Punk just nodded, "Are you sure there's nothing else bothering you?" She asked him as he shook his head. She was like a sister to him and he always appreciated her checking in on him.

"No, I'm fine." Punk nodded, "Thanks." He smiled as she nodded, rubbing his arm softly and walking back into the room they were working in.

Punk leaned against the wall and sighed to himself tiredly, running his hands over his face. He then listened as there was a knock at the door upstairs.

The office was downstairs, so he had to walk up a few steps to get to the main door, opening it up and raising his eyebrows as he saw AJ standing, taking her sunglasses off and looking at him.

"This doesn't mean we or any of your friends are my friend."


	14. Helping Hand

**Helping Hand**

* * *

"Come in." Punk nodded, stepping to the side as she walked in through the door. He was surprised but he also suspected her to show up, "Are you ok?" He asked her, shutting the door over as she stood at the top of the stairs.

"Why wouldn't I be?" AJ asked him. She was an intense person. Whenever she looked at anyone, she stared them in the eye for almost too long, especially him. He wasn't uncomfortable around her. He just wasn't sure what to do with himself.

"Well you're sort of on the run." Punk said, walking down the stairs as she followed him.

"On the run? I'm dead." AJ chuckled a little, "I'm not running from anything."

"Well I assume those people in the government. You know the ones you know all about but won't tell us." He said as AJ turned to him, "I'd imagine they're pretty pissed about you killing Adrien." He nodded as AJ just waved her hand.

"They'll get over it." AJ said as Punk shook his head, walking into the office as AJ followed.

One by one, the rest of the group turned around. Dean just rolled his eyes whilst Seth gulped and Eve shuffled her chair away a little as AJ smiled and waved to them creepily.

"This is cosy in here." AJ smirked, looking around and noticing the board over in the corner, "Oh God, you couldn't have picked a better picture of me?" She asked, walking over to the board where she saw her prison picture up with other information about her plastered around. She could also see all the people she had killed up on the board, "Not too shabby, April." She nodded to herself as Dean shook his head.

"Just tell us what you know so you can leave." Dean said as AJ quickly turned around.

"No, I think I'll… I'll settle in first." AJ nodded, taking her coat off, handing it to Punk as she collapsed down on one of the whirley chairs, spinning around on it as she looked at them all, "How is the side, Eve?" AJ asked casually, acting like she really knew these people.

"Uh… it's ok." Eve replied.

"That's good." AJ nodded.

"You know what… we should kill you-" Dean stood up, charging for AJ who pulled out her gun from her back pocket and pointed it at him. Punk grabbed a hold of Dean anyway whilst AJ sat spinning around on the chair comfortably.

"You're an angry little fella, aren't you?" AJ smiled, "I like it." She nodded.

"Just tell us what you know." Dean hissed as AJ stretched tiredly.

"Let's get one thing straight." AJ stood up, still holding the gun out, "No one's gonna tell me what to do or I walk… or actually, I'll kill you all, and then I'll walk." She nodded, "We're also not friends so… I don't want anyone trying to be nice to me." She said, specifically looking at Punk.

"No one wants to be your friend." Dean shook his head.

"Next, I'll tell you things on my own term. I'll sit here and I'll make myself comfortable and if I wanna tell you guys something I will." She nodded, "If anyone says anything that annoys me, well… I think you gather what happens next." She nodded, "Ok?" She looked at them all, "That's pretty fair. Right?" She asked them as Punk looked at her, "Great." AJ nodded, sitting back down on the chair as it rolled over a little, continuing to twirl around on it whilst Eve watched her with fear.

"Well we're trying to… find names." Punk said, "Of other people who work under the foreign minister, just like Adrien did." He said as AJ just nodded, not really interested, "So if you've got any input." He said.

"I don't." AJ smiled to him, "But don't mind me. Carry on working." She nodded as Punk just nodded.

"Then why are you here?" Seth looked over at her, "To watch us work?"

"Yeah." AJ said, "Do you guys have snacks in here?" She asked them as Punk put his hands on his hips, "Is that a fridge?" She pointed over beside Eve who gulped and nodded.

She walked over, her gun still in her hand as she crouched down, opening up the small fridge whilst Eve looked at her.

"Those ones are quite nice." Eve pointed to the bag of chocolates.

"These?" AJ picked them up as Eve nodded. AJ ripped open the bag, putting a few in her mouth and nodding, "These are good." AJ nodded, standing back up, kicking the fridge door over with her foot as Dean looked over at her.

"You're an animal." Dean shook his head as AJ spat the chocolate out at him. He got back to his feet ready to go for her again as Punk managed to get in the way.

"Ok, this isn't gonna work." Punk admitted, "Just stay on your side of the room." Punk told AJ who put another chocolate in her mouth and smiled, making a kissing face to Dean who shook his head.

"I hate her." Dean nodded, "I fucking hate her." He shook his head, sitting back down on his chair whilst AJ sat back over in the corner of the room as Punk watched her, spinning around and throwing the chocolates into her mouth. He wasn't quite sure how this was going to go.

* * *

They spent the rest of the day working together whilst AJ sat in the corner leering at them all. There was no way she was just going to trust these people and let them know things. No way in hell. She liked watching them discuss things. They were smart and got leads on things rather quickly, she was impressed, but she couldn't help chime in whenever they said something wrong or stupid.

"I'm sorry but did you go to the academy? Did you go through years of training to get this sort of job?" Dean asked her after she had butted in again, "Or did you just work in a casino and get thrown in prison where you learned a few tricks?" He asked her as AJ smiled, continuing to spin around on the chair.

"She's got a point." Punk said as AJ nodded to herself, "Adrien couldn't have been working directly with the foreign minister. He had to have been working with other people on a lower tier." He said.

"Especially when…" AJ grabbed a laptop sitting by, typing into it as Punk watched her, "This was the week Adrien told me to wait on him contacting me because he was at a meeting with the so called foreign minister but…" She turned the laptop around, "He was joining the president on a state tour of America and South America." AJ said, "So he obviously wanted me to keep quiet until he spoke to who he was actually working for." She said, showing them the article.

"Did you question him about this?" Punk asked, taking the laptop from her.

"No. I never asked questions." AJ shrugged, digging her hand back into the bag of chocolates.

"You've almost ate two bags of them." Seth noticed.

"And what about it?" AJ turned to him as Seth just shook his head and put his hands up.

"So you think Adrien was really just working for someone else? Not the foreign minister?" Punk asked her.

"No, I think he was working for the foreign minister but he wasn't reporting back to him. I think it was someone else." AJ nodded.

"Who?" Dean asked her as AJ shrugged.

"How am I supposed to know?" AJ shrugged, putting her feet up on the desk.

"I'm sorry I have to ask." Eve shook her head, "Why do you wear the wigs?" She asked as AJ turned to her slowly, in the middle of eating a chocolate.

"Why do you think I wear them?" AJ asked her.

"She wears them to disguise herself. Are you dumb?" Dean asked Eve who just shrugged.

"They're good for the sex too." AJ winked to Eve.

"Sex with?" Eve asked curiously as AJ laughed.

"With… people?" AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Are you gay?" Eve asked.

"Eve." Punk shook his head.

"What? Like you all weren't wondering either." Eve shook her head as AJ just smiled.

"Girls are fun." AJ nodded, "I prefer dick, though." She said as Eve nodded.

"Good to know." Eve said.

"Can we stay on topic?" Punk shook his head, "Do you have any idea who else Adrien could have been working for? Did he mention any other names?" He asked.

"No." AJ shrugged.

"Where did you go when you reported back to Adrien?" Seth asked her.

"We'd either meet somewhere like a café or something. Or I'd go to his office but it was like a fake office. It was sort of like this. Just some building with a room in it." She shrugged, "No one else worked in it."

"Great." Punk groaned whilst Dean yawned and stretched.

"What time is it?" Dean asked.

"11." Punk looked at his phone, "You guys wanna call it a night?" He asked them.

"Yeah, I need pills." Eve groaned a little, getting to her feet as Seth helped her, whilst Punk looked over to AJ.

Once she had calmed down, she hadn't been much problem. She had her remarks which were often cheeky and self-obsessed but he figured that was just who he was. She'd actually gave them a lot of help already.

"We're gonna go for food in the hotel, you coming?" Dean asked Punk as they got their things together.

"Uh… yeah, I'll be there in like ten minutes." He nodded to them, looking over to AJ who was still sitting on the chair, spinning around on it.

"You got a gun?" Dean whispered to him as Punk scoffed.

"Just go." Punk shook his head, watching the three of them leave the office as he turned over to AJ, "Uh… where are you… where are you staying?" He asked her.

"Oh, I'll find somewhere." AJ said, getting off the chair.

"Do you have money?" Punk asked her as AJ laughed a little, putting her coat on.

"Probably more than you, honey." AJ nodded.

"I seriously doubt that." Punk nodded as she turned to him.

"I don't need you to hold my hand and walk me out." AJ scoffed.

"No, but I have to lock up." Punk said as she nodded slowly, feeling stupid, "Uh… I'd invite you to dinner with us but-"

"But your friends hate me and I make all of them feel uncomfortable." AJ finished for him, "I don't want to have dinner with you anyway. We're not pals. I don't want to be here. I don't know why I'm here." AJ admitted truthfully, "Maybe it's because you're pretty and I like looking at you." She said as Punk just scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" She wondered, walking closer to him as he shook his head.

"No." He shook his head, "You're just… a little different." He said as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Good different?" AJ asked him.

"I'm still trying to figure that out." Punk nodded.

"I thought you'd have a nice wife at home. Cute kids." AJ said.

"No, that's not me." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded, "I think we all gotta be pretty lonely to do the type of job we do." He said, "I'm sure you can relate." He nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." AJ nodded, "Are you… still not thinking about me naked?" She asked with confusion, looking up at him as Punk tilted his head and laughed a little, "What?" She frowned as he looked down at her. She was definitely hard to read, and she was very good at mind games, it was probably why she had gotten away with everything she had.

He didn't have an answer for her, so instead they just stared at one another. AJ wasn't sure what it was about him that made her feel… soft inside. She wasn't going to change how she was. She didn't know how to trust people. She wasn't sure she ever would. Her behaviour wasn't going to change. She liked making people feel uncomfortable with her inappropriate questions but he seemed to embrace them for some reason.

"I forgot my-" Dean paused as he walked back into the office, watching as Punk and AJ stepped back from one another quickly, realising how close they had gotten, "My wallet." Dean arched a brow at Punk, walking between them and taking his wallet from the desk.

"I'll be there in five." Punk nodded to him as Dean nodded suspiciously, walking out of the office as AJ grabbed her bag and began to leave, "When will you be here tomorrow?" Punk asked her.

"I'll be here when I decide to be here." AJ hummed, walking off out of the office as Punk shook his head and grabbed the keys to lock up.


	15. Going Undercover

**Going Undercover**

* * *

"What is going on with you and her?" Dean shook his head the next morning, walking out of a coffee shop as they had gone to get breakfast for everyone.

"What?" Punk turned to him.

"You and April. Seemed a bit friendly when I came back for my wallet last night." Dean said, "Is there something going on between you two?" He wondered.

"What? No." Punk laughed a little, "No she's just… flirty." Punk shrugged.

"She's not flirty with me." Dean said.

"That's because she doesn't like you." Punk said, "She flirts with Seth, and Eve." Punk shrugged, "It's just the way she is." He said as Dean looked at him.

"Do you like her? I honestly don't know how you could but… do you?" He questioned as Punk shook his head.

"No. I don't." Punk said bluntly, "But admit that she's been useful, even just after yesterday." He said as Dean just grumbled.

"She was a little useful." Dean shrugged, hating to admit when he was wrong about something, which happened quite a lot when it came to his and Punk's opinion.

"If we can figure out who else Adrien was working alongside, we might be onto a winner. We can find them and question them. Hopefully it will lead us to more answers." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, hopefully." Dean nodded, walking on into the office, "Eve and Seth said they'd be down in an hour. Eve was waiting for her pills to kick in and Seth was showering." He said as Punk nodded, walking into the office and down the stairs, opening the door.

"Oh my God." Punk jumped, almost dropping the coffees out of his hand as AJ was already in the office, sitting on her chair at her designated desk with her feet up, her sunglasses on with her hood up, sipping on a coffee.

"I already have one, but thank you." AJ smiled, tilting her sunglasses down and looking at them both.

"We didn't get you one." Dean shook his head, "Get your feet off the desk. This is MI5 property." He said.

"I don't like MI5." AJ shrugged.

"How the hell did you get in?" Punk shook his head, sitting down the breakfast.

"I climbed through the vents." AJ said.

"Did you?" Dean turned to her.

"No." AJ scoffed, "It's not a movie." She rolled her eyes, "There's a cracked window in the basement." She shrugged.

"How long have you been here?" Punk asked her.

"Few hours. I'm an early riser." AJ said, putting her glasses back up onto her nose properly, "I left some work on your desk, sir." She saluted Punk as he rolled his eyes and walked over to the desk, picking it up as he looked at all the printed out papers.

"Is this-"

"I got into Adrien's emails. I know all about his wife and his kid so I guessed a lot of passwords." AJ said, "I got a list of names, addresses, numbers and also IP addresses of who he's been messaging. I printed off a few emails too that I think might be helpful to you." AJ said as Punk looked over at her, "I also found a list of names who the foreign minister works with on a daily basis. He'll work with home secretary too so I scribbled down some names around him." She nodded.

"I like you a lot more when you do work and talk less." Dean admitted, walking over and looking at the things AJ had printed off.

"Shut up." AJ told him.

"How'd you do this so fast?" Punk asked her.

"I'm good with my hands." AJ said, "Now I'm tired." She admitted, slouching on the chair, "I didn't categorise anything into importance. I figured you chumps can handle that." She said, "Did you bring me food?" She wondered, tilting her sunglasses down again.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Dean asked, "You're inside and it's the middle of fall." He shook his head.

"I believe they call it Autumn here, Mr Ambrose." AJ said.

"Are you hiding the bloodshot eyes from us from all the drugs you're on?" Dean asked her.

"Shut up or I'll shoot you in the eye." AJ grumbled.

"There's pancakes in the bag." Punk said as AJ stood up, grabbing the bag and taking it over to her desk, "Seriously how did you do this so quickly?"

"Well it took me a couple of hours." AJ said, taking the pancakes out.

"They're for everyone." Punk said, watching as AJ took each pancake and licked it in the centre.

"That's my breakfast." Dean whined.

"Kiss my ass." AJ shook her head as Dean rolled his eyes, "This is my reward for being helpful like a good little girl." She nodded, sitting back and putting her feet back up on the desk, "I mean I've pretty much did your work for you. All of you. You should be kissing my feet." She nodded.

"I hope you choke." Dean said, sitting down at his desk whilst Punk looked through the emails.

"Hey, this chick is from London." Punk noticed, sitting down at his desk, using all the useful work AJ had surprisingly done, "She was sending emails to Adrien about a meeting… talking about some group called nineteen." He shook his head whilst AJ kept quiet, "You know anything about that?" He turned to her as she shook her head, sitting back on the chair and eating a pancake.

"We could get someone to go talk to her." Dean said.

"Oh, me." AJ put her hand up, "Let me talk to her." She nodded, taking her sunglasses off, "I've not… I've not had fun in so long." She frowned sadly.

"We don't want you to kill her." Punk screwed his face up.

"What? Why not?" AJ frowned.

"Because that's not how we work." Punk said, "If you're going undercover then you have to be believable."

"I will do this better than any of you possibly could. This is my operating area." She said as Punk sighed.

"If Adrien hired you then she's gonna notice who you are." Dean said.

"Adrien said none of them knew who I was. Just that I was out there taking care of things." She shrugged, "They don't know me."

"I'm pretty sure they do." Punk said.

"Please just let me do this." AJ nodded, "This is right up my street. You guys can sit outside and watch from the window."

"The window?" Punk shook his head.

"Yeah, I also wrote down a lot of places they all like to eat and drink at. She goes to a place called Bar 23. It looks like nice. They do mozzarella dippers." She shrugged as Dean looked at her with confusion.

"You're so weird." Dean shook his head, turning around to his desk, "So weird."

"So you're just gonna creep up on her and start talking to her?" Punk asked.

"I know no one is gonna trust me, like I don't trust any of you fools but… this is what I'm best at. I've made a lot of money from charming people. This part is all mine." She said.

"You need to pretend you're related to Adrien." Punk said, "It's the only way you can talk about things with her. If you just hit out with them then she'll be suspicious." He said as AJ nodded.

"Fair enough." AJ nodded.

* * *

"How did she do it so quickly?" Eve shook her head, sitting in one of their hotel rooms later that night as they awaited AJ coming to the room which AJ had gave her the number for.

"I don't know. She's like a machine." Punk shook his head, "I think she might actually get some information out of this woman." Punk nodded, "This is good." He said with hope, "You can all say thank you Phil for inviting the crazy lady to come work with us at the end of this." He nodded as Seth shook his head sitting over on the chair by the window.

"Or she's gonna end up killing this woman and we're gonna start having blood on our hands because of her." Seth said, "She's uncontrollable. What if she snaps?" Seth asked.

"She won't." Punk shook his head.

"Oh, because you know her so well?" Seth asked.

"Hey, this is the best shot we've got right now." Eve interrupted, "So let's just bank on it that she does her job and she doesn't make things harder for us." She said as Seth just sighed.

Soon enough there was a knock at the door as Punk answered it to let AJ in.

"Ok, are we ready?" Punk asked them as AJ laughed.

"I'm not." AJ said, dragging her suitcase it and putting it up on the bed, unzipping it as they watched her, "I need to get ready."

"Why can't you go like that?" Punk asked her, "You look fine."

"I know I look fine but… I can't look like myself." She shook her head. There was a simple reason why she dressed up in disguise as different people when carrying out tasks. It was simply because she truly didn't want anyone to know the real her. The stripped back her. She wouldn't let anyone get that close.

"Well hurry up." Dean said, "We don't got all night."

"We'll go when I saw we go." AJ warned him, "Eve, pick me a wig." She said as Eve gulped and widened her eyes whilst AJ took a black dress out of the suitcase, walking off into the bathroom and closing the door over.

Eve walked over to the suitcase, looking at the different wigs and gulping.

"Blonde." Dean nodded to her as Punk turned to him, "What? I like blondes." He said as Eve picked the blonde wig out.

"Would I suit red hair?" Eve asked them, picking up the red wig and putting it on whilst Dean grabbed one of the brown ones, looking at themselves in the mirror as Punk took pictures.

"I might grow my hair out." Dean nodded with long brown hair.

"You lot call me weird?" AJ stood at the bathroom door watching them try her wigs on.

Dean immediately took it off and threw it at Eve, "We're just… they're really nice." Eve nodded, taking the red wig off as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I know." AJ said, "Which one?" She asked.

"Blonde." Eve smiled as AJ nodded, picking the blonde wig up and walking back into the bathroom as Dean and Eve laughed to themselves.

"Never in my life did I think we'd be here trying an assassins wigs on whilst she gets ready to do a job for us." Dean shook his head.

"I looked good with red hair." Eve nodded to herself.

"Speak for yourself." Seth shook his head whilst Eve put the wigs back in the back, all of them looking up as AJ came out of the bathroom, truly looking like a different woman.

Punk gulped and felt himself off balance for a moment as he watched her step out of the bathroom in a tight black dress, black heels, a black leather jacket over her shoulders, her blonde wig looking strangely natural whilst she had minimal but effective make-up on.

"You look like a prostitute." Dean told her.

"A hot prostitute." Seth mumbled as Punk just stared at her, watching as she winked to him specifically as he scratched the back of his neck, having to force himself to look away.

"Ok, now we're ready." AJ nodded to them.


	16. Wrong Move

**Wrong Move**

* * *

"How is she doing?" Seth asked, sitting in the back seat with Eve whilst Punk and Dean sat in the front, parked outside the bar which AJ had gone into to speak to their only hope for close contact, one of the people in contacts with Adrien. Nancy Parks.

"Yeah, she's talking to her." Punk watched closely as AJ was sat at the bar, talking to Nancy. He was impressed by how believable she was at not being herself. At manipulating anyone into talking to her. He realised it probably came in handy when she was in prison and growing up.

"Do they look like they're talking about Adrien?" Eve asked.

"I'm not sure. It just looks casual." Punk nodded, "She's only been talking to her for 10 minutes. Give her a bit of time." He said.

"Why is she even helping us?" Seth asked, "Why do I have a bad feeling that she's just gonna turn around and kill us randomly." He sighed with fear.

"She's not." Punk said, "Look at all the work she did for us. She's just… different. She works different from us." He said.

"Because she's an assassin." Dean concluded, "I'll give it to her. All that work was impressive." He nodded, "And useful."

"Exactly." Punk nodded.

"I still don't trust her." Dean said.

"Well neither do I." Punk shook his head, "She's doing right by us. She's helping. If she didn't want to, she wouldn't. She's not the type of person to do things for other people clearly. She wants answers too." Punk nodded.

"I'm like… attracted to her." Eve said, looking out the window as they all turned around to her.

"She stabbed you." Seth shook his head, "I'd wanna kill her if I were you."

"She's so hot." Eve shook her head as Seth rolled his eyes.

"She is. I agree." Dean nodded, "But no amount of hot is worth a lunatic." He shook his head as Punk watched AJ in conversation with Nancy.

"She looks like she's asking her stuff and Nancy is answering. Like they're in deep conversation." Punk nodded, "Oh, shit." Punk paused after watching Nancy throw her glass of water over AJ, widening his eyes.

"Hey hey hey…" Dean pointed as AJ had grabbed Nancy by the hair and had pulled her off the stool at the bar.

Punk got out of the car and rushed into the bar, getting over to AJ just as she was about to take out her gun which he didn't know she had, "Hey, no." Punk crept behind her, keeping her hand down so she didn't expose the gun, "Don't do it." Punk said as AJ breathed heavily, staring down at Nancy angrily.

She wouldn't have stopped for anyone. When she wanted to do something, she did it. But when she felt his hand on hers, hearing his voice behind her, his hand on her waist to keep her back, something told her to stop.

She regained her senses and looked around at everyone staring, "What?!" AJ yelled at them all.

"You're crazy." Nancy got to her feet as AJ glared at her.

"Come on." Punk nodded to her, "Out before anything else happens." Punk tugged on AJ, pushing her forward in front of him and guiding her out of the bar, "Get in the car." He told her as they got out of the bar.

"Don't tell me what to do." AJ shoved him angrily whilst Dean got out of the car.

"Get into the car before you make any more of a scene." Dean said as AJ opened up the car door and got in beside Eve and Seth, slamming it closed behind her as Punk got in and drove away, "What were you going to do? Shoot her in front of all those people?" He asked.

"Yes." AJ said bluntly as Punk shook his head.

"You can't do shit like that." Punk said.

"I can do whatever I want. Shut up." AJ shook her head, "I don't need to be doing this. Ok? I'm doing you all a favour. You're welcome."

"The favour doesn't involve killing anyone." Dean scolded her.

"Did you at least get anything from her?" Punk asked.

"Why should I tell you?" AJ shrugged, folding her arms.

"We're the only ones helping you right now." Punk said, looking in his rear view mirror at her, "We could throw your ass back in prison for all of this in a heartbeat." He said.

"We should." Dean said.

"Then do it." AJ hissed, "See how far it gets you." She said.

"Just tell us what she said." Punk said, driving back to the hotel.

"I need to shower first." AJ said stubbornly as Punk shook his head.

"Fine." Punk nodded, driving to the hotel.

* * *

"Maybe it'd be better if I just spoke to her." Punk said, standing in his hotel room with the guys whilst AJ was in the bathroom taking a shower, "You guys just lose your head with her so… if we're gonna get the information from her, maybe I should just talk to her." He said.

"Yeah, whatever." Seth nodded, "She makes me mad." Seth said.

"Yeah and I need to sleep." Eve agreed, holding her side a little.

"Are you ok?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah I'll be fine." Eve nodded.

"Call if she gives you trouble." Dean nodded.

"Yeah, I will." Punk said, watching as the three of them left the room whilst he took a seat over by the window and waited for AJ to get out of the shower.

He listened as the shower stopped running, looking up when he saw her leave the bathroom in just her underwear, he immediately looked down out of respect.

"You can look, it's not a crime." AJ said, walking over to her suitcase.

"Some people would say it is." Punk nodded, looking down at the ground as AJ shook her head.

"You're way too nice." She shook her head with confusion. She hadn't met a man so considerate of her before. She was used to… being used. Being eyed him for her looks rather than her personality. She understood why people may have found it hard to understand her of course. But he wasn't like anyone she'd met before. He was caring but also dangerous the way she liked, and smart

"I just respect women, that's all." Punk nodded.

"Well I'm giving you my permission to look." She said, "I don't mind." She said truthfully as he just nodded, looking up at her as she stood digging into her suitcase, deliberately reaching over it as he just laughed to himself and shook his head.

"I know what you're doing." Punk nodded.

"What am I doing?" AJ asked innocently as he looked at her, trying hard not to look her up and down but it was impossible. She was gorgeous. She had an amazing body, toned and petite. Her bronze skin looked so soft. And she looked like she was enjoying him staring at her.

"Well I… I don't know what you're doing." He admitted truthfully as AJ put only a t-shirt on, walking over to him in just her panties and t-shirt, "I don't know if you're trying to send signals my way or what but… I need this information."

"You have to be thinking about me naked now." AJ shook her head, sitting down on the table in front of him as he looked at her, "I've never met a man as nice as you before." She admitted truthfully as he looked across at her, "You're kind." She nodded, looking into his eyes as he coughed awkwardly and sat up a little.

"April… the information?" Punk nodded, "What did Nancy say to you?" He asked, trying to focus on the task at hand as always.

"Not much." AJ said, "We talked about Adrien. I said I knew about Adrien working with an assassin. She started to panic a little. She said it was all Harry's idea." She said, reaching over beside her on the table where her research was, "I'm assuming she means this Harry." She handed the profile over to Punk who took it from her, "He's the foreign ministers second hand man. Makes sense. They all seem like puppets. I actually said that to her and then she threw the water on me." AJ nodded.

"So this is who we need to be talking to?" Punk asked, looking on at Harry's information, "Back to Russia." He groaned a little.

"I can go on my own." AJ said.

"No, you can't." Punk said, "I know you're used to working alone and being on your own but… we work as a team here." He nodded as AJ looked at him, "We help one another. We're like a… like a big family." He nodded.

"I don't think I want family." AJ scrunched her nose up and shook her head, "It's easier being alone. There's no one to hurt you. Disappoint you. Leave you." She said.

"Someone hurt you?" He asked her as AJ smiled a little.

"No." She shrugged calmly.

"What happened to you between when you were born and the age of 13?" Punk asked curiously. He was trying to figure her out. The more he spoke to her like a normal person, the way no one else did, the more he saw her soften up a little. But she was still a very, very closed person. He wasn't sure anyone would know the real her.

"I was homeless." AJ shrugged simply, "That's it."

"But you were born in Chicago. And you ended up in Russia." Punk shook his head as AJ shrugged.

"Yeah. So?" AJ shrugged.

"Did someone take you over to Russia?" Punk asked her as AJ shook her head.

"Stop trying to know who I am. I don't want you to know who I am." She said, "So stop it." She gave him a serious warning as Punk looked at her.

"My mom gave me away because she was on drugs. She was eighteen. My dad split right away." Punk nodded as AJ looked at him.

"I don't really care." She said coldly as Punk looked at her, "Opening up to me doesn't mean I'm gonna return the gesture." She said as Punk just nodded.

"I just think it would help you trust me a little more." Punk said.

"I don't trust you and I don't want to. Bad things happen when you start trusting people." She said.

"Like you trusted your boyfriend?" Punk asked her as AJ looked at him.

"Be careful when you push me." She warned him.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" He asked her, leaning forward towards her as she looked at him.

"Yeah." AJ nodded simply, looking into his eyes, not being able to help get lost in a dream as she stared at him. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, standing up and climbing over him, straddling his hips as he fell back against the chair, letting her into his mouth as he kissed her back deeply.

She took his hands and ran them up inside her t-shirt over her bra on top of her breasts. She just wanted him. There was no other explanation. He made her hot and bothered and that was hard to do.

Punk wasn't prepared to stop her, cupping her breasts and kissing her roughly, watching her pull back for a second and rip her t-shirt off, ripping his off too as she kissed down his body, getting onto her knees in front of him and undoing his jeans, pushing them down with his boxers as she smiled upon his large length. Punk looked down at her, watching her wrap her hand around his length, stroking him up and down as she kept his eyes on him.

She'd had plenty of meaningless sex where she could just switch her brain off but this was different. She wanted this. She wanted him. Punk could have easily concluded that this was very inappropriate, but he couldn't help it. He was attracted to her not just physically but personally. There was just something extremely interesting about her.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, watching as she eventually took him into her mouth, bobbing her head up and down on his length. He then felt her take his hands and place them on the back of her head.

He moved her head up and down on him as she rolled her tongue up and down him, sucking him off hard whilst keeping her eyes on him.

"Fuck, that's good." Punk moaned, feeling her take him all the way into her mouth and back out again.

"You like that?" AJ nodded, stroking him up and down before wrapping her mouth back around him. The feeling of her velvet mouth tight around him was the best. He wasn't stopping this, even if he knew it was the responsible thing to do.

"Fuck." Punk ran his hand through his slicked hair, grabbing her up by the arm and standing up, lifting her up and pushing her up against the wall as she smiled, rolling her head back as he kissed her neck, feeling him slide her bra straps down and undo her bra.

He put her down on her feet, still with her back against the wall as he kissed down her body, using his tongue on her breasts as she smiled and moaned.

She felt him kiss her way down her body until he was crouched down in front of her wet centre.

She pushed her panties down, tossing them over behind him with her foot, leaning back against the wall as she felt him dive into her like he was truly starving.

"Fuck." AJ moaned, "Yes, make me cum." AJ nodded, looking down at him, grabbing his hair as she felt his tongue work between her folds, "Fuck… you know how to… how to do this." She gasped, playing with her breasts as he looked up at her.

He kept his hands on her thighs as he toyed with her using his tongue, teasing her clit and entrance whilst she moaned breathlessly, getting closer to the edge. She couldn't remember the last time she had came this quick.

"Shit." AJ gasped breathlessly, feeling herself tip over the edge as she pressed herself back against the wall, grabbing his hair and moaning loudly as he looked up at her.

He kissed back up her body, kissing over her folds, all the way back up to her lips as she got more aroused when tasting herself on his tongue.

"You know how to eat pussy." She whispered as he lifted her up, holding her against the wall as he slid himself inside of her, "Oh my God." She moaned out.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, feeling her tight walls soft around him. She ran her hands up his chest as he grabbed her by the wrists and pushed them above her head against the wall as she smiled.

"Yes, fuck me like this." AJ moaned as he kept her hands above her head, beginning to thrust into her as she moaned out in bliss, "You're so big." She moaned out, feeling herself stretch around him as he began thrusting into her a little harder.

It was the only time where she liked to feel someone else take control of her. The only time she liked to feel weak. And she'd gone through so much that she wasn't really sure how to feel things passionately. But it seemed like her eccentric violent behaviour matched his at the moment, and she was loving every second of it.

"You're so tight." Punk moaned, looking into her eyes as he thrust into her, her legs curved around him whilst he kept her hands above her head.

"Harder." AJ nodded as Punk thrusted into her harder and faster as she moaned out in bliss, "Yes, just like that." She nodded desperately, feeling him press against her g-spot over and over again as she bit into his shoulder.

"Fuck." Punk moaned, thrusting into her, never feeling as good as he did right now with her, thrusting into her against the wall hard and fast whilst she begged for her release.

* * *

AJ woke up in the middle of the night, turning around in the bed as she saw Punk sleeping beside her. She stared at him, noticing him in a deep sleep, looking over to the wall which he had gave her the best sex of her life against, which ended up carrying over into bed.

She didn't feel things like most people. So when she did sleep with strangers, she didn't feel embarrassed or guilty about it, but being with him, she felt things. She felt good of course. The sex was mind blowing. But she also felt like she could let an extra tiny layer down with him than anyone else, and that scared her.

She got out of the bed and put her clothes on, packing up her suitcase whilst keeping her eyes on him sleeping.

She walked over to the table and grabbed all of the papers, the work she had done, stuffing it into her bag and watching him as he slept so peacefully. It made things harder for her. It made it harder for her to help them. She was never going to let her heart be exposed. She'd been through too much. Sometimes she wasn't sure if she had a heart. She just knew good sex when she had it.

She zipped up her suitcase and kicked it onto its wheels, leaving the room and closing the door over behind her as she put her hood up and headed down to the reception area.

She then left the hotel, meanwhile Seth was sat in the lounge, watching her as she had left the hotel at a time of 4am. If he wasn't suspicious before, he was suspicious now.


	17. Manipulated

**Manipulated**

* * *

"You get any information from her?" Seth asked the next morning in the office where Punk was sitting at his desk.

"Uh… yeah. Yeah, Nancy mentioned a guy called Harry. He works under foreign minister. Like a second hand man." Punk said, "Nancy said it was all his idea. We have the record on him but I can't… I can't find it." Punk admitted truthfully, "I can't find any of the work April did for us." He said.

"When did she leave your room last night?" Seth questioned.

"Uh…" Punk shrugged, "Like 10, 11." Punk lied casually as Seth nodded, walking over to him and sitting down beside him at the desk as Punk looked at him.

"I saw her leave the hotel at 4am this morning." Seth said, "You slept with her." He stated as Punk looked at him, not knowing what to say as he looked over at Dean and Eve who were concentrating on working, "I didn't think you were this stupid."

"What?" Punk shrugged, "It makes no difference." He said.

"Well where is she then?" Seth asked, "Huh? I'm assuming she took all the paper work and now she's gone." Seth nodded as Punk looked at him.

"She'll turn up." Punk nodded, "Me sleeping with her as nothing to do with the work. So get off my neck." He told him.

"It has everything to do with it." Seth said, "She's manipulating you. Or do you just wanna get laid so bad?"

"Shut up." Punk said loudly.

"What's going on over there?" Eve asked them as she looked over whilst Dean turned around.

"N-Nothing." Punk shook his head, looking at Seth, warning him not to say anything with just a look.

"We think April has all of the paper work so… we just gotta wait on her." Seth said casually, walking away as Punk watched him.

"She's probably burnt it." Dean scoffed, turning back around to his computer.

"Phil did she say when she'd be here? It's almost past noon." Eve noticed.

"No, she didn't." Punk said, looking up at the crime board, playing with a pen. He'd woken up and was a little sad to see AJ had disappeared. He couldn't stop thinking about her. The night they had spent was hot, full of not only want but need. He felt like he knew her just that little bit more than everybody else now. But sleeping with her didn't mean she'd let her guard down.

"Do you have her number?" Dean asked.

"Why would I have her number?" Punk said defensively as Dean raised his eyebrows.

"Uh… I don't know, just… maybe you have it?" Dean questioned, "You're acting weird this morning." He said as Seth looked over.

"Get much sleep?" Seth asked him deliberately.

"Slept like a baby actually." Punk nodded.

"Well I'm glad someone is." Eve moaned a little, holding her side.

"You should be resting." Seth told her.

"I'm ok." Eve waved her hand as Punk stood up.

"Where are you going?" Seth asked.

"Uh… lunch, does anyone want anything?" He asked them as Dean and Eve gave their orders in.

"I'm ok." Seth nodded to him as Punk folded his arms.

"Alright." Punk said, having enough of Seth leering at him, "I slept with AJ." He announced as Dean spun around on the chair whilst Eve looked up, "Last night, it happened, it wasn't planned but there you go. Seth saw her leave the hotel at 4 which is why I'm telling you all." He nodded, "Not that it's any of your business."

"How is this not our business when we're working with this terrifying woman?" Seth asked.

"You slept with her?" Dean shook his head.

"Did she wear a wig?" Eve asked.

"What? No." Punk shook his head with confusion, "No, it was just… we were talking. It was just us. It happened. And it's not gonna come in between us doing our job." He said, "Ok?" He said as they all looked at him.

"Do you like her like that?" Eve tilted her head as Punk looked across at her.

"N-No." Punk shook his head, yet completely unsure. He'd never met anyone like AJ before and he would be lying if he said he didn't think about her in a way he probably shouldn't have been.

"Let him sleep with whoever he wants to sleep with." Dean waved his hand.

"Thank you." Punk nodded.

"I'm just a little worried that she's now out of sight and she's taken all the work she did with her." Seth said, "What if she's taken off somewhere?" He asked.

"She wouldn't." Punk shook his head.

"Oh because you know her so well?" Seth asked.

"I just know." Punk said sternly as Seth just sat down at his desk, "I'll be back soon." He shook his head, leaving the office to go grab lunch for them whilst Dean turned around and looked over to Seth.

"Give him a break, man." Dean said, "He's trying to help her."

"People like her can't be helped. Look at all the horrible things she's done. She should be in prison for life." Seth said.

"He's trying to relate to her." Dean said, "They have… abandonment issues."

"Don't say that." Eve frowned, "Stop talking about him." She warned, "He's supposed to be your best friend. Brother." She said.

"But she's just using him, manipulating him into trusting her and then that's when she'll strike like a damn cobra." Seth nodded, "We've seen it before."

"I don't think she was using him." Eve said, "I see the way they look at one another. She speaks to him differently than she speaks to us." She said, "I for one, am a little jealous." She admitted.

"Aren't you straight?" Seth asked her.

"Yeah, but she's hot." Eve shrugged.

"I agree." Dean nodded, "But I get where Seth is coming from. We just don't wanna see Phil get hurt." He said.

"He's a big boy. He can handle it." Eve told them, "Just stop giving him into trouble or he'll snap, and let's face it, he'd break the both of you in half." She said, "And I'm not breaking any fights up like I used to in the academy. You guys can just fight it out." She said as they both just grumbled.

* * *

" _Fuck." AJ moaned, feeling Punk thrust into her, lying in the centre of the bed whilst he thrust into her on top, his hands at either side of her head whilst he looked into her eyes, "I'm gonna cum." She moaned, tangling her hand down between them and stroking her clit whilst he pounded into her, his hip bones shattering against hers._

 _Punk lifted his hand, to tuck her hair behind her ear when he watched her flinch and turn her head around, as if waiting for him to hit her. He looked at her and shook his head, turning her head back around and kissing her lips softly, kissing down her neck._

" _I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered as AJ clawed his back, moaning softly at the feeling of him piercing through her in and out. She'd never came so much during sex. Mostly because no one cared if she did or not. He did. He wanted to take care of her and she was so foreign to that concept that she was almost confused by everything going on. How she was feeling._

" _Harder." AJ nodded, taking his hand and wrapping it around her throat as he looked down at her. Slow and sweet wasn't her style, even if he was making her feel different. Luckily, she could tell slow and sweet wasn't his preferred style either._

 _He kissed her passionately, his hand around her neck whilst he thrust into her hard, listening as she moaned loudly._

" _I'm gonna cum." AJ gasped, her back arching as he kissed her neck and felt her tighten around him, moaning out loudly, "Fuck." AJ moaned, taking his hand from her throat, putting two of his fingers in her mouth as he dragged his thumb past her bottom lip._

 _It didn't take him much longer before he found his own release, spilling himself over her stomach and collapsing down on the bed beside her as she lay on her back looking up at the ceiling, her mind spinning as she realised for the first time that sex might have put her at a disadvantage. She normally used it for an advantage but this was different and she was confused._

" _Why do you have so many tattoos?" She asked him, turning her head as he looked at her, "I mean there's a lot." She nodded._

" _I don't know. I just… I liked them." Punk said, "It became addictive after the first few." He shrugged._

" _I like them." She said, looking back up at the ceiling._

" _Thanks." Punk laughed a little, wiping his forehead from the layer of sweat he had worked up, "You got any?" He asked her._

" _No." AJ said as Punk looked at her._

" _I wasn't going to hit you." Punk made clear as AJ turned to him, "When I… you flinched and turned away." He said, "I wasn't going to hurt you." He said. He hated that she had flinched like that, it made him feel like it was his fault, and he didn't want to ask why she did it, but he had a hunch._

" _I wouldn't mind if you did." AJ said as Punk shook his head._

" _I would." Punk nodded, "And you should too." He said. Sometimes she was so programmed into living such an eccentric, chaotic life, that he wondered if she ever had normal relationships with people. If she had friends, if she had past boyfriends, co-workers. She just seemed so detached form the world and his arms he just wanted her to feel cared about._

" _I'll be back." Punk nodded, getting off the bed and walking off into the bedroom as AJ watched him. He was extremely fit and extremely handsome. She knew she'd be dreaming about him for sure._

 _She pulled the sheets up over her naked body after using some tissues to clean herself up, turning onto her side and staring off into a different world, not trying to fall asleep, but doing so anyway. She was exhausted. She didn't sleep like the average person and she tended to just crash at times._

 _Punk walked back out of the bathroom, pulling on a pair of boxers as he looked over at her fast asleep in bed. He walked over and got back in, looking on at her sleeping peacefully and sighing. He wished one day she could feel comfortable to let someone in._

* * *

Punk got back to the office after getting lunch for everyone. He just couldn't stop thinking about the night spent with AJ. He just couldn't stop thinking about her full stop. She was definitely stood in a different light to him than everyone else. He knew she'd done terrible things but he was trying to peel back those layers and see the real her. He knew there was a good person beneath the surface.

He walked into the office and sat down the lunch for everyone, "What?" Punk looked over at them as they were huddled around Dean's computer.

"That Harry person you mentioned." Seth said, "He's dead." He said bluntly as Punk tilted his head.

"What do you mean he's dead?" Punk said.

"I mean, the guy is dead and he's taken the information we need to the grave with him." Seth said, "And guess who got off the bus ten minutes before outside his office?" He asked him as Punk looked over, watching Dean turn the laptop around to him where he saw footage of AJ getting off the bus.

"She killed him." Dean nodded, "And I've got a bad feeling that those people she found for us in Adrien's emails. I think they're next." He said.

"You still think we can trust her?" Seth asked as Punk looked at AJ in the footage getting off the bus, sighing to himself.


	18. Answers

**Answers**

* * *

"Where would she have went?" Dean asked, arriving in Moscow at the airport with Punk. Seth and Eve had stayed in London to keep tabs on things whilst they had travelled out to attempt to find AJ.

"Maybe we try her apartment." Punk nodded to him, "She might have gone back there." He said as they got into the rental car.

"Do you think she got the information she wanted from him? Before killing him?" Dean asked, getting into the car as Punk sped off out of the airport.

"Hopefully." Punk nodded, "She's not thinking. She doesn't think." He said as Dean looked at him.

"Phil I don't think she's gonna be who you want her to be." Dean said as Punk kept his eyes on the road, "She's not well. You might be right, maybe she has… went through something really bad in her life. But she's just a murderer now." Dean nodded.

"Does it count if she's murdering bad people?" Punk asked.

"Yes. It does." Dean said, "At least before she was doing it as a job. Now she's doing it on her own." He said, "She came to our place. She came to the office. Used our computers and our systems to get into the emails. To get her list of people. Now she's gonna go kill them." Dean said.

"No." Punk said, "No, she just wants information like we do." Punk said, "She wants to find out more about who was behind this-"

"And then she's gonna kill them." Dean said, "Maybe she… acts different with you when you're alone. I don't want details. But people like her are selfish. They do things for themselves. They live a lonely life and they like it that way." He nodded, "You getting wrapped up in this emotionally is only gonna make it worse for you." He said.

"You think I wanna be interested in her like this?" Punk asked, "I can't help it. She's… she's different. There's something about her. And we clicked." He shook his head.

"She's not gonna be the girl you take home and start a family with." Dean said, "She's too far gone to have a life like that."

"Well I'm not interested in that. I want to know her because I don't think anyone else has bothered to know the real her. When I ask her these questions she looked confused. As if… why would anyone possibly care about knowing what happened to her." He said, "You're right. She is alone. I know how that feels." He said, driving to AJ's apartment.

"What do you think is gonna happen? We're gonna clear this up and you're gonna start dating?" Dean asked, trying to be the voice of reason for his friend, "We'll be lucky to get this cleared up, and if we do, the first thing she is gonna do is get the hell away from us." He said.

"You don't know that." Punk shook his head.

"I have a feeling." Dean said, "We just have to stop her before she does any more damage." He shook his head as Punk sighed.

He knew with AJ there was always the element of surprise, and it wasn't like he was looking for a wife in her. He just knew that he'd never felt like this about a girl before, and he wanted to help her more than anything else.

* * *

They arrived outside her apartment, leaving the car and heading up the spiral stairs, trying the door which was opened and walking on in.

"April." Punk called, walking into the apartment with Dean, jumping suddenly when a gun appeared in his face from around the corner, looking on at AJ pointing it at him as he put his hands up, "What are you doing?" He shook his head.

"Stay away from me." AJ warned, "I'm not letting you use me like they did." She spat, keeping her gun pointed at them as Dean shook his head.

"We're not using you, April. We're trying to work with you. Not against you." Punk made clear, "C'mon, put the gun down." He sighed as she looked at him and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"It's their fault." She nodded as Punk shook his head with confusion.

"What is?" Punk asked.

"It's all their fault." AJ shook her head as Dean watched her.

"Hey, look at me." Punk nodded, "We aren't gonna hurt you. I promise." He said, "Tell us what's going on. Why did you take off?" He asked her.

"I don't work with people, ok? I don't want your help." She said.

"We don't want to work with you but we need you." Dean added, "We could have your ass thrown into prison. I'm sure in some states they'd send people like you to the electric chair." Dean admitted, "But we're not gonna do that if you can help us with this." He said.

"I am already dead." AJ said, "They made sure of that." She said

"Who did?" Punk asked, "Did you talk to Harry?" He asked, "We know you killed him."

"He deserved it." AJ nodded, "He deserved it." She said again.

"Ok… ok…" Punk nodded softly, trying to keep her calm, "What did he tell you?" Punk asked.

"I'm not telling you." AJ screwed her face up.

"What about if it's… if it's just me and you. Dean can go wait in the car. You can talk to me." Punk nodded as she looked at him.

How wonderful it sounded to just be able to talk to him. Someone who actually made her feel safe in her dangerous world she lived in. But she couldn't go there with him. She couldn't.

"No." AJ shook her head, her hand shaking as she held the gun. Punk could see she was spooked by something that she'd just been told and he couldn't not ask her.

"What did he say to do you?" Punk asked, "Did he hurt you?" He wondered.

"No." AJ scoffed, "No, I got my information and then I put a bullet in him. Now your operation is dead." She said as Dean turned to Punk. It was partly true. If Harry was the one who held all the action, if he was the one ordering these jobs, having people work for him like Adrien to hire AJ, then it really meant there was now no evidence apart from what AJ had found out.

"Just tell us what you found out." Dean said as AJ shook her head.

"Go." Punk nodded to the door to Dean, "Go out and wait in the car."

"What?" Dean shook his head, "She's gonna kill you." He said as Punk shook his head.

"No she's not." Punk said confidently.

Dean carefully slid his gun into Punk's back pocket without AJ seeing, nodding to Punk and leaving out of the apartment as Punk looked across at her, her gun still pointed directly at him.

"It's just me and you." Punk nodded, "I can see you're upset. And you must be exhausted with all of this." He said as AJ sighed. She felt like he just knew her and that was hard for her to accept because no one had ever tried to know her.

"You don't know me. You don't know how I feel." AJ said.

"I know you're pushing me away because you're scared." He said, "And that's fine. Maybe people like us are better off alone. It gets too complicated, we get spooked and we run from things that are good." He nodded, "That's fine. But this is still my job." He said bluntly, "And I need you to tell me what Harry told you." He nodded as AJ looked at him.

"You're gonna put me in prison after all of this." AJ nodded, "You are." She cried as Punk shook his head.

"No." Punk said, "Everyone else wants to put you in prison but… I don't. I don't care what you do next." He said, even though that was a slight lie, he did care about what she did, "I just want to find out what's going on with this, why so many people had to die? Why you had to kill them?" He asked as AJ shook her head and gulped.

"I… I've been working for these people who… who did it to me." She shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"Did what? What people?" Punk asked her.

"Adrien. Harry. The government." AJ nodded, "They have this group, they had it, it was called nineteen. Nineteen people in it all in charge of different trades." She said as Punk listened closely, "Those are the nineteen people you killed?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"They had to get rid of the evidence. The government." AJ said, "It was Harry's idea. The foreign minister needed a solution. Tax couldn't go up but they needed money for the state. He told the prime minister that he would sort it. That's how the group came about." AJ nodded, still keeping her gun up, keeping herself protected.

"What else?" Punk nodded.

"These people. Nineteen of them. Some of them started up drug cartels. Smuggling weapons. Drugs. Human… Human trafficking. Child trafficking." AJ swallowed the lump in her throat as Punk looked at her, "All for money for the state." She said, "To avoid corruption they had to kill off the people once they money was in. That's when I was hired." She nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, starting to understand. It made sense. They always knew it was shady government doings but it seemed to affect AJ just a little more personally, "That's everything Harry told you?" He asked her as AJ nodded, "There's nothing else you need to tell me?" He asked as she shook her head, "Ok." He nodded softly, "Ok, you can put the gun down. I'm not gonna hurt you." He promised her as she looked at him, glint in her eye, her hands shaking as it held onto the gun tightly.

He realised what was going on now. They had their answers. The only problem was, most of the people who could come forward about it, were dead, but he supposed that was the governments intentions.

"They all deserved it." AJ shook her head, "They did." She nodded, "They're bad people. And so am I… you shouldn't want to be around me." She said.

"Ok, but what if I do?" Punk asked, "Huh?" He said as she looked at him, "What if I told you that… I care about what happens to you." He said.

"You don't know me." AJ cried, "You don't know who I am, what's happened to me." She said.

"I want to know you." Punk said, "Forgetting about all of this. This job. The government. Thinking about last night." He said, "I don't know, maybe you just did it to divert my attention so you could leave the country but… I saw you for you last night." He said, "And I think you're scared of that."

"So what if I am?" AJ asked him, walking towards him, pushing the gun against his chest, "I should have just killed you at the start." She shook her head. She hated feeling conflicted. She hated feeling full stop. It made everything so much harder.

"You're not gonna kill me." Punk said, "And I'm not gonna kill you." Punk shook his head, "You've helped us. We appreciate that." He nodded.

"I did this for myself. For my answers. Not you." AJ made clear.

"Well, you still helped us. We have our answers now." He said.

"And now what?" AJ asked, "You go home to America? You write a report and that's it?" AJ asked him, "There's nothing you can do. Everyone is dead." She said.

Punk took a deep breath, running his hand over his hair, "You're not." Punk nodded as AJ tilted her head, "I'm really sorry about this." Punk nodded as she looked up at him, watching suddenly as he took a cloth from his pocket, spinning her around and pressing it against her mouth as she immediately began to scramble, dropping her gun and trying to squirm out of his grip, pulling at his face as he kept the cloth against her mouth, her back pressed into his chest as she began to fade out.

She was trying so hard to fight it but she couldn't, her arms and legs slowly starting to shut off as she collapsed out cold in his arms as he held her and sighed.

"You're coming home with us."


	19. Who You Are

**Who You Are**

* * *

AJ woke up suddenly in the centre of a comfortable bed, with warm covers around her, a dresser in the room, a TV over in the corner, a bathroom suite to the left of her. She was extremely confused, sitting up in the bed and placing her hand on her forehead.

Everything had been a blur. She couldn't remember going to sleep, where she was, who she was with. And then it all hit her like a train, and her heart began to beat rapidly out of her chest.

She quickly got out of the bed, stumbling over a little as she found her balance, opening up the bedroom door and walking out into what seemed to be the rest of the apartment. She looked around for something, anything to use that she could protect herself with, but it was too late, she saw Punk sitting over on the couch along with Eve.

She ran for the door, immediately tugging on the handle, trying to open it up when she realised it had obviously been locked.

"No." She shook her head, starting to kick on the door with her socked feet as Punk rushed over to her.

"Hey, it's fine. You're ok." Punk placed his hands on her shoulders as she turned around and punched him square on the nose, "Jesus." Punk groaned, holding his nose which had been burst open as AJ looked ready to fight with him, "Stop it." Punk said, "We're not gonna hurt you. Calm down." He shook his head as AJ gasped breathlessly.

"Where am I?" AJ asked.

"You're safe." Eve nodded.

"Where the hell am I?!" AJ screamed as Punk wiped his bloody nose and looked at her.

"America." Punk nodded as AJ tilted her head, "Virginia. We took you back here because… after Harry died we figured that… they'd be after you." He said, "It doesn't take someone long to frame all of this on you now that the government don't have anyone to talk about it. They'll say you're a mentally ill serial killer and they'll lock you up." Punk said, "It's best you came here."

"You drugged me." AJ looked at him, "You said you weren't going to hurt me." She shook her head, not believing she was actually in America. She hadn't been back in the states since she was 6 years old.

"I didn't hurt you." Punk shook his head, "You were in and out of consciousness on the plane. You don't remember?"

"No, because you drugged me." AJ said.

"I knew you wouldn't come at your own will." Punk said, "But it's the best place for you to be, trust me."

"How long have I been out of it?" AJ asked.

"A few days." Punk said.

"I put you in those clothes by the way." Eve said, "They're my shorts and t-shirt."

"They're ugly." AJ looked at herself as Eve folded her arms, "I need to go." She pushed by them both, walking back into the bedroom, "Where are my things?"

"I've got them." Punk said, "You don't need them right now, trust me."

"My money… it's-"

"Under a floorboard in your apartment. Yeah." Punk nodded as AJ looked at him, "Don't worry, we searched your apartment, brought any sort of valuable thing with us. I've got them in a suitcase in my room." He nodded.

"Your room?" AJ asked, "This is your place?" She asked him, "I thought you lived in Chicago?"

"I do. I work here so I got a place here too." He nodded, "I told the guys about what Harry told you about everything." He said, "We're sort of… at a loss for actions now. We have no one to talk to about it. Harry was our… our main guy and he's dead now so… anything we say happened is just our speculation." He said.

"He deserved to die." AJ spat as Punk nodded, turning to Eve who nodded to him.

"I'll see you later." Eve said, rubbing Punk's shoulder as she left the apartment, locking the door behind her as AJ stood in the bedroom whilst Punk stood at the door.

"Why the hell did you bring me here?" AJ shook her head, a lump in her throat as she looked at him. It was the first time in so long where she was starting to feel… out of control. Like she didn't have her head screwed on right.

"You're safe here." Punk said, "Please believe me when I tell you that I brought you here out of the kindness of my heart." He said, "If we left you there you… you would have took the blame for all of this, when really you were just being used for your skills." He said.

"I would have gotten away." AJ said, "Went somewhere that isn't here. Somewhere that you and your friends aren't." She spat.

"Why are you so mad with me all of a sudden?" Punk asked her, "We had a good night together. And then you took off and killed Harry. You lost it."

"Well I tend to do that sometimes it's why I don't have relationships or friendships with anyone." AJ reminded him, "I need to go. I can't be here. Please just let me go."

"You're safe here." Punk said, "Please, just stay for a few days, let us talk to you, let us explain what's gonna happen." He nodded, "And then you can decide what you want to do."

"I want to leave. Right now." AJ said.

"I'm not gonna let you do that." Punk told her honestly, "It's for your own good." He shrugged.

"So you're gonna keep me here a prisoner?" AJ asked, "Like everyone else does?" She said.

"Who is everybody else?" Punk asked her as she shook her head, drying her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.

"How many days?" AJ asked him.

"Just a few days until we clear all of this up. I want you to be part of it. Listen to what we're gonna do." Punk nodded, "But… get some rest over the weekend. We all are. We'll have a briefing Monday." He said.

"I'm not part of your team so please don't talk to me like I am." AJ said, "Please give me my things."

"No." Punk said, "You can live without them." He nodded, "I was gonna order dinner. Do you want anything?"

"No." AJ said, "No, I'm just gonna starve. Not drink or eat. And then I'll die and that'll be on you." She shrugged as Punk rolled his eyes.

"Sure." Punk nodded sarcastically, "Well, you don't need to stay in there. I'll order extra food for you in case you get hungry later." He said, walking away as AJ shook her head.

"I'm sorry but are you high?" AJ followed him, "You have… flown me across the country against my will and you're keeping me locked in your apartment for a few days. That's kidnap." She said as Punk shook his head.

"I'm saving your ass right now. They would have slaughtered you in Russia. You know that." Punk said, "You should be on your knees thanking me right now. I didn't have to bring you here. No one else wanted me to." He said as AJ looked at him, "But I did. Because I want you to have a chance."

"Why can't you see that I am as bad as your friends make me out to be? They… they understand what I've done. You don't. You want me to be good. And I'm not." AJ said, "I have murdered nineteen people. More now since Harry and Adrien." She said, "Those people had families. Children. I took them away." She nodded, "Let me go back into the world and stop trying to… brainwash me into thinking I'm some misunderstood, used, mentally ill poor person."

"Well you're definitely not poor." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Let me go." AJ nodded.

"It's not gonna happen. So get over it. Give yourself a rest for a few days. You don't have to speak to me or look at me." He shrugged as AJ just shook her head.

"I can't believe you're doing this." AJ shook her head, "You can come find my dead body in here in three days." She said, walking back into the bedroom and slamming the door shut as Punk rolled his eyes.

"So dramatic." He shook his head. He knew what he was doing was for her own good.

* * *

AJ spent the rest of the night in bed. The sheets were extremely comfortable and warm, but she was trying not to feel at ease. She felt more safe out in the streets with her fists to protect her than some man in his apartment. Even though she knew she did trust him, as much as she wanted to deny it.

She lay in bed thinking when she heard her stomach rumbling. She sighed to herself and tried to turn around to a position that would make her less hungry but it was no use. She was extremely hungry.

She got off the bed and walked out of the room, walking across into the apartment. It was a nice place but she wasn't going to start complimenting it. She didn't want to be here at all.

She walked over to the trays of found which had been ordered, opening them up and starting to eat out of them just as Punk walked in, laughing to himself a little.

"I thought I was finding you dead in three days." Punk said.

"Shut up." AJ said immediately as Punk put his plate in the sink, looking over at her, "The drugs wearing off?" He asked her, "It wasn't anything too strong I gave you." He said.

"I still feel light headed but I think it was because I haven't ate." She nodded.

"Well help yourself." He nodded, "I really am trying to help you. There's no… catch or reason. This whole thing is over and you're still the piece that's out there that they could get their hands on." He said.

"Well then maybe they should." AJ shrugged, "I'm not your problem." She said, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, "Why do you care about me?" She shook her head.

"Why does anyone ever care about anyone?" Punk asked her as she rolled her eyes, "I don't see what everyone else sees. I see someone who has been through a lot and… has been targeted at their most vulnerable. And now you feel like you can't trust another person ever again." He said, "I get it." He nodded.

"Do you?" She shook her head, "You don't know me at all."

"I do." Punk nodded as AJ tilted her head, "On the flight here I looked into some things." He said, "When you were speaking to me in your place. You kept saying they did this to you." He said as she looked at him, "I know your parents sold you when you were six." He said as AJ looked at him, her arms falling to her sides, "I know you were sold in a child sex trafficking group in Russia." He said, "That's how you ended up there." He nodded, "And it was through this nineteen group. And when you realised that... you killed Adrien, and you went for Harry." He said as AJ dried the one tear that rolled down her cheek.

"Wow." AJ nodded, "You're so smart, aren't you?" She said.

"I'm trying to understand you, April." Punk shook his head.

"I don't need to be understood. I'm not some… experiment." AJ shook her head. It was the first time she'd ever heard someone say out loud what had happened to her. Of course he'd only mentioned a brief part of what happened, but he wasn't wrong, and that's what hurt the most. He was the only one to know that about her and now she felt exposed.

"I know you're not. I want to help you." Punk said.

"I don't want to be helped." AJ said, grabbing some of the food, "Just don't talk to me." She shook her head, walking away back into the dark bedroom and closing the door behind her.


	20. Someone To Care For

**Someone To Care For**

* * *

AJ sat in bed after eating some of the food, having lost her appetite once Punk had revealed what he'd found out about her. She wasn't quite sure how to handle someone else knowing something that she kept so shut out. She saw that little girl as someone else. Someone she cut away from years ago. But now someone else knew about it she didn't feel strong anymore.

She left the bedroom, walking around the corner where she saw him sitting on the couch watching TV. Part of her wanted to kill him for bringing all of those horrible memories back, but… she also wanted to hug him, thank him for noticing that there was something that had made her this way. People were so quick to judge when they didn't know one's true story. He wasn't.

"Hey." Punk noticed her as she nodded, "You alright?" He asked her as she nodded again. She was mad that he'd put her in this position. A position no one had ever put her in before. She didn't know how to deal with someone else knowing about what she kept hidden so close to her.

"I was wondering if I could get some clean clothes. I want to go for a shower." She said as he nodded.

"God, of course." Punk said, feeling terrible that she had to ask him that, "Eve dropped some stuff by for you. We didn't really have time to pack your own things."

"So I'm stuck with her ugly clothes?" AJ nodded.

"Pretty much." Punk said, walking over to the dining table, "It's all here if you wanna have a look through it." He said as she nodded, walking over to the table and looking through the clothes as he watched her, "April I'm sorry for… digging into your past." He said, "It wasn't fair for me to do that. It's your story and… you should choose who you tell about it." He nodded, feeling terrible that he'd made her feel so exposed, it was never his intension, "I just… I really wanna help you. That's all." He said as she looked at him.

"Uh… how much do you know?" AJ asked him curiously.

"Not much. Just… what I told you." He said as AJ nodded, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I can't imagine-"

"This is exactly what I didn't want." AJ said, "I don't want to be felt sorry for." She shook her head, "Hell maybe that's why I did all of those terrible things, so people couldn't sympathise with me anymore." She said, "Or maybe I'm just crazy." She mumbled, continuing to look through the clothes.

"If you ever want to talk about it. I'm here." Punk nodded.

"Did you tell everyone else?" AJ asked him.

"No." Punk shook his head, "No, it was just me who looked into it." Punk assured her, "And it'll stay with me. I promise." He said as she nodded. She trusted his promises.

"I'm… gonna go shower." She said as he nodded.

"You want me to… show you how it works?" He asked her.

"It's a shower. I'll figure it out." AJ shook her head, walking off back into the bedroom as Punk watched her close the door behind him.

* * *

AJ took a shower, feeling like it was the only thing that would help her get her head screwed back on straight. She was fed up of feeling helpless. It wasn't her style. She wasn't living with two identities. She was that fearless, flirtatious, bad-mouthed bitch that she'd always been. That would never leave her. But he brought out a softer side in her she didn't know existed, one which she was scared of.

She got into clean pyjamas which were basically just another set of shorts and t-shirts, and let her hair air dry, leaving it wet and messy. She couldn't' remember the last time where she did just rest herself. Her life was constantly on the move. Constantly on the job. Because of this, she felt irritated, like she didn't know what to do with herself, like she really was trapped.

"Here, if Eve wants to take these back and wash them." AJ shrugged, putting the dirty clothes over beside the clean as Punk looked over and nodded.

"I can wash them later, she's not in a hurry to get them back." He said as AJ nodded, "You feel a bit better?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, I do." AJ said, "I think you should just… let me go. I'll be fine on my own, trust me. It's how I'm still alive." She nodded, walking over to the couch area, taking a seat across from him.

"I'm not gonna do that." Punk shook his head, "I want to talk you through what we're gonna do. I want to help you. Maybe you can… have a normal life-"

"What if I don't want a normal life?" AJ asked him.

"You want to go back to killing people?" Punk questioned as she looked at him.

"If it's for the right reasons." AJ nodded, "Maybe."

"Or you could finally live your life and not worry about any of that." Punk said as AJ shook her head.

"You just don't get it." AJ said, "I'm not just gonna settle into the suburbs and live a normal life. I'm not normal. I don't know how to be normal." She said, "If I did do you think I'd be in this mess?" She asked him as he looked at her.

"Don't you want to just… live without all of the stress you were under? Tie down a real job. Make… make friends-"

"You know what…" AJ stood up, "I… I thought maybe you would understand me. I did." She said, "But you're just like everyone else." She shrugged.

"I'm trying to help you, April." Punk said.

"What? By pointing out my flaws and making me feel this big?" She asked, making a small visual measurement with her thumb and finger, "Do you realise that no one else has ever know what you know about me. No one." She said, "Because I killed that six year old little girl. I tried so hard to kill that part of my life so that I never had to think about it again. And now that someone else knows… that's always gonna be there. It's out there now." She said.

"And I'm sorry I made you feel that way." He stood up, "Why don't you believe me when I say I want to help you?"

"Because no one has ever wanted to help me my entire life so why would you? You don't know who I am. Yes you know a little bit. And yes we've slept together and yes it might have been one of the most normal… best nights of my life but that doesn't matter." She folded her arms as Punk looked across at her.

"You felt that way about it?" Punk asked her as she looked down at the ground.

"Yes." AJ shrugged, "You made me feel… normal." She shook her head, "Like maybe I could live a normal life." She said, "And then you found out about my past and I feel like I have to go running in the opposite direction from you."

"You don't." Punk said, "I think you're incredibly brave." He nodded as she looked up at him, "And I think deep down you just… want to be loved." He nodded, "And I get that." He said.

"You get that?" AJ asked, "You know what it's like to be sold by your parents? By people who are supposed to love you no matter what?" She asked him coldly, "To know they had no problem with handing you over to men when you were just six years old? You get that?" She asked him.

"I don't get that. No." Punk said honestly.

"I live better when I'm alone." AJ nodded, "Trust me." She said, "I appreciate what you're trying to do. But the last person who tried to make me feel normal… I slit his throat." She looked across at him, "And I don't want to get to that place with you." She shook her head.

"Why did you kill him?" Punk asked her, "What did he do to you? He had a criminal record." He said.

"Oh, so now you're looking into that part of my life too?" AJ questioned.

"You've looked into mine." Punk said.

"Yeah, I looked into your orphanage records. That's it. The rest is a mystery to me." She said.

"It doesn't have to be. I'll let you know me if you give me the chance." He nodded, "That night… I felt the same way." He said, "There was a connection. You know it. I know it." He said, "Forget about Russia, the government, my job, your jobs… when it was just us… it felt normal." He said, "I know what you mean. It felt right." He said as AJ crossed her arms and looked down at the ground.

She hated that every word that came out of his mouth was the truth. He was honest and she loved that, but sometimes the truth hurt. She was experiencing what it felt like to have someone care about her and unexpectedly, for some reason, her past didn't seem to phase him at all.

"This would never work." AJ nodded, "And I like you. Don't make me hurt you." She shook her head worriedly.

"You're not gonna hurt me." Punk said, "You're not some timebomb waiting to explode. Did your boyfriend hurt you?" He asked her, looking across at her as she hugged her arms. The more he saw her, every time she came out of the bedroom, the more he felt like he was seeing the real April. There was no wigs. No playful flirting. No smack talk or violence. It was just her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded as Punk looked across at her. He could sense her becoming comfortable with him and he was glad because no one deserved to be alone the way she had. He wondered if she had maybe found people to love her, that her life may have played out differently. That she wouldn't have gotten caught up with prison and the government.

"What did he do?" Punk asked her as she shook her head.

"What did he not do?" AJ shrugged as Punk sighed, "I-I don't want to talk about it. Please." She begged as Punk nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded, walking closer to her, "Ok." He said, "I just… I want you to know I'm here. No CIA spy involved. It's just me. Someone who wants to help you. Someone who sees you." He nodded to her as she looked up at him.

"Why do you care about it so much?" AJ asked.

"Because I care about you." He nodded. When they first started looking into this case, he didn't expect to be falling for the person behind the murders. He didn't expect for this to play out the way it had, but he wasn't going to deny it.

"I'm sorry about that." She smiled softly as he laughed a little and nodded.

"I'm not." He said, looking down at her as she stared into his eyes.

Instead of screaming at the top of her lungs and fighting with him about digging into her past, she started to digest the fact that just maybe… he did care. And it was a scary thought for someone who just didn't do well with relationships, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel things for him either. She did. Feelings she'd never felt before.

Instead of being mad about him knowing all of these things, it was starting to feel like a relief, that someone really could know and try and understand what she'd gone through.

"You can trust me." Punk nodded, tucking her wet hair behind her ear as she looked up at him, reaching up and pressing her lips against his softly as he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her in tight to her body.

* * *

 **A/N: More to be revealed. More to go down. Let me know what you think and thanks for the reviews! I appreciate it.**


	21. Peace

**Peace**

* * *

"Fuck. Just like that." AJ panted breathlessly, running her hands up his torso, feeling him pulsing inside of her as he thrust in and out, as thought they had been destined for it all along. She lost her mind when she felt him inside her, but in a healthy way. She couldn't understand how someone could make such a different impact on her life.

"Yeah, you gonna cum?" Punk nodded, nudging her neck and kissing it as she rolled her head back, buckling her hips up into his body, touching every part of his body, running her nails down his back in a grazing motion whilst scraping her teeth over his shoulder. She wanted to feel him so close, closer than she wanted to feel anyone. It was the first time in her life where she was experiencing being with someone who truly cared about her. He did.

"Please make me cum." AJ nodded, swallowing her moans and looking into his eyes. He wasn't going to tame her. She was who she was, but having someone in her life who was actually looking out for her best interest, it was so foreign to her, she almost didn't know how to handle it, "Please make me cum." She whispered again and again, stroking her clit in circles as he thrust into her, sending her over the edge as she arched her back and came hard, moaning out whilst he kissed her throat down to her breasts.

She moaned softly as she rode out her intense orgasm. She was so used to not feeling that she didn't believe she'd ever had any meaningful sex in her life before. This felt like it meant something. It meant a lot. That worried her.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Punk moaned, feeling himself reach his peak, pulling out of her as AJ reached down and stroked him up and down with her hand to where he spilled himself over her stomach, "Fuck." Punk moaned, placing his hands on the mattress to steady himself whilst she stroked him softly, taking all he had to offer before he collapsed on the bed beside her.

She took her finger, swiping it over her stomach where he'd came on her, putting her finger in her mouth as he turned to her and smiled. There wasn't just an emotional connection but of course there was a physical one. He thought she was gorgeous. When it was just her. Her natural self. She was insanely beautiful.

"This isn't helping me get out of here." She admitted truthfully, running her hand through her hair.

"You don't have to get out of here." Punk said, "Trust me, I think… I think you're a lot safer here than anywhere else. We can give you protection." He nodded.

"I don't need protection." AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"I know you don't." Punk said. She was fierce and strong. He knew that. But this was so much bigger than just one person. He knew that this would all be put on her if it got traced to the government. They'd make sure she took the blame and he didn't want that. Not when she had been manipulated and used into it all.

"Why do you care so much?" She turned her head and looked at him, "I mean… besides from the really nice sex." She nodded, "Why are you wasting your time with someone like me?" She shook her head.

"Because I care about you." Punk said, "I like you." He nodded, "I know that you've been through a lot. And I know that what you've done isn't particularly good but… I think you were just trying to… hold onto your life for as long as you could. I could only imagine what it was like being in those prisons." He said as AJ nodded and sighed.

"Yeah they weren't jolly." AJ shook her head, "More like concentration camps than prison." She said.

She was still very closed. It took a lot for her to open up. In fact, she was sure that she would ever open up to anyone in her life. But he was different. She trusted him. It went against every fibre of her being but she did trust him.

"How long were you in?" Punk asked her.

"Well I did some time before. Battery and assault. Robbery." She nodded, "Those were short sentences. I beat up a man in the casino I worked at. He was drunk… persistent." She said, "And the robbery was… me desperate for money for rent." She shrugged, "Stupid things. Things I could have… gotten over." She said.

"And then your boyfriend? What happened with him?" Punk asked her.

"He was always pretty aggressive." AJ nodded, looking up at the ceiling, "Sometimes I… I didn't mind it. I felt like it was what I deserved." She said as Punk shook his head to himself, "It was fun sometimes. But… slaps started turning into punches. Grabbing turned into kicking." She said, "He was beating me up and I couldn't… I couldn't go from being in one prison to the next my entire life." She shook her head. Ironically, this was the one place she didn't feel trapped. With him.

"How'd it happen?" Punk asked her. He'd learned already that it took a lot of time to get her to talk. She wasn't used to it. In fact, she looked confused by it. Opening up to someone. It wasn't his style either but she was foreign to the entire thing.

"He came home from work." AJ said, "He was Russian so I spoke to him in Russian." She nodded, "Some things I didn't quite understand, though so he would say things that he knew I didn't know." She said, "I just snapped. There's not even a story to it." She admitted shamefully, "I was in the kitchen and he came in. Starting touching me. I thought… is this all I am to him?" She asked herself, "Is this all he wants from me?" She shook her head, "So I turned around and I slit his throat." She turned to him, "He was the first person I killed." She nodded.

"Weren't you terrified?" Punk asked.

"Well that's when I figured that I wasn't normal because I felt nothing. In fact, part of me felt… in control of something. I'd gone from being controlled my entire life to… turning the tables so quickly." She said, "It felt good." She shook her head, "I called the police and told them I'd slit my boyfriend's throat. I didn't speak during the trial because there was nothing I could say. I was guilty." She said, "And off I went." She said, turning around to him as he looked at her, "I don't understand how you can like me knowing all of this." She admitted truthfully.

"Because there's more to you than that." Punk nodded as she gazed at him. He found the beauty in her that she had yet to discover herself, "How do you know so many languages?" He asked her curiously.

"It's useful." AJ nodded, "Uh… when I was younger, when I got… sold over to Russia. There were different men who spoke different languages. I picked it up." She said as Punk nodded, "We're always talking about me. What about you?" She shook her head.

"What about me?" Punk asked.

"Well… how'd you get into this job?" She asked.

"I just thought it was cool." Punk shrugged, "You watch tv shows as a kid and… you see the good guys and you think wow, they're so cool." He said.

"You wanted to be a good guy?" AJ smiled.

"Well, not the cliché but… yeah I wanted to help, make a difference." He said, "God knows the country needs it." He shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure the good guys aren't supposed to be nice to the bad ones." She said, looking across at him.

"You're not bad." Punk said.

"I am." AJ nodded, "No one can say I'm a good person after what I've done."

"No one knows your story." Punk said.

"There were tons of kids who were trafficked. I guarantee a lot of them didn't turn out like me." She said.

"We're affected by things in different ways." Punk shook his head, "And they took advantage of you. Of your skills. Of how smart you are." He said.

"I'm so complicated. I don't understand how you can be… interested in anything about me." She admitted. It was bizarre to her. She had to question it. It was just surreal to think that someone cared about her in a way she'd never experienced before.

"Well I am." Punk shrugged, "And I don't want to fight with you. Beg you to stay. I just want you to give me a chance. You're safe here." He said, "Don't you want to be safe?" He asked her as she nodded to herself.

"I don't know how to have relationships with people. Not just relationships but friendships." She said.

"Because you've never gave yourself the chance. You've been constantly on the go since Adrien got you out of prison. You've not had the chance to stop and pause for a second." He said as she realised he was right.

She was so caught up in working, fulfilling her jobs, that she hadn't stopped for a second to remember any sort of life she had. She was just totally foreign to the idea of normal living. To have friends. To have people who actually cared about her well-being. It was just so strange to her. But yet he was offering it and she wasn't sure if she could feed into it.

"I'm not gonna make you stay, April." Punk told her honestly, "You're free to do what you want and… I'm more than confident you'll be fine on your own." He told her honestly, "But I don't want you to be alone." He sighed.

"Why?" AJ questioned.

"Because I… I want to make sure you're alright. I hate the idea of not knowing what's happening to you or where you are." He admitted, "I just… want to make sure you're ok." He shrugged, not knowing what else to say really. All he knew was that he cared about her, and he saw her in a completely different light than everyone else.

AJ looked at him and sighed. He was so good. It didn't take a genius to see that. He was caring and sweet and everything she just wasn't used to, but part of her was embracing it for the first time. He was genuinely concerned about her and that was the best thing ever.

"Maybe you could… show me around here." AJ nodded as Punk turned to her, "I… I've never been." She said as Punk raised his eyebrows, surprised at her wanting to do something normal.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, I can show you around." He said as she smiled, shuffling over to him in the bed, pulling the sheets over them. She was still a little uncertain on how to act with someone she actually really liked, but it seemed to be coming naturally.

"Just… don't expect me to… open up about everything." She said as he looked down at her, "I killed that part of me a long time." She nodded, "I don't think I can revisit it." She admitted as Punk nodded.

"You don't need to talk about it." Punk said, tucking her hair behind her ear as she rested her head against his chest.

"I like lying here with you." She whispered truthfully. It was peace she'd never known. Peace she just loved. And somehow she knew that it wasn't the comfortable bed, or the soft, warm bed sheets. It was him.

"Me too." Punk whispered back, kissing her head as she smiled softly. Something was happening with them. She wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing to feel this way about him, but she knew it was feelings that she'd never had.


	22. Not The Same

**Not The Same**

* * *

"Hey, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to get out of the apartment?" Punk asked, walking over to the sitting area where AJ was sitting watching TV, something she hadn't done in such a long, long time. She found herself addicted to all the different TV shows which she didn't know existed.

"Where to?" AJ asked him worriedly.

Although they were sleeping together, and she was taking his word that being here was the safest place for her, she still wasn't really sure what to do with herself, how to act around him. She wasn't really sure what it was that was going on between them. She knew there was obvious feelings there, physically and emotionally, but she was still protective of herself and wasn't quite sure how to go about this. She'd never had anyone care for her before and so it was a little strange to get used to.

"Just… around the town. I thought you'd maybe want some fresh air." He shrugged.

"I don't really want to go around in Eve's ugly clothes." She rolled her eyes a little, unwrapping herself from the blanket she had around her, walking over to the clothes Eve had left.

"Why don't we go shopping?" Punk asked her as she looked at him.

"You want to go shopping?" AJ raised her eyebrow as Punk shrugged.

"Yeah well you need some of your own clothes and we've been in this apartment too long." He said, already starting to get cabin fever.

"Yeah, this is the most I've stayed put in a long time." She admitted. It all felt strange. Not having a job to do. Just being able to sit still for a second.

"If you want to stay here it's fine." Punk nodded.

"No… it's fine." AJ said, "You're right, we've been in here for too long and I don't want to keep you here babysitting me." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not babysitting you." Punk scoffed.

"You are." AJ said, "You're scared that if you leave me I'll just take off." AJ nodded. She was good at knowing what people were thinking, and she could sense that perhaps he wasn't trusting her as much as she trusted him.

"I just don't want you to feel like you aren't welcomed here or that you need to leave." Punk said, "I care about you."

"What would your friends think of this?" AJ folded her arms, "I mean, I've stabbed one of them. The other two hate me." She said.

"They'll come round." Punk nodded, "I've known them all for a long time." He said.

"I don't think so." AJ shook her head truthfully. She knew she wasn't an angel. She wasn't even close. She'd done bad things. Terrible things. So it was still a little confusing that he was so interested in her. That he actually cared about her, "Shopping sounds fun." She nodded to him as he looked over, "First I need to go to the bank." She said.

* * *

"Who the hell is Katalina Kozlov?" Punk asked, walking out of the bank with her later on.

"Me." AJ said, "April Jeanette Mendez is dead. Remember?" She said, "Adrien set up this fake identity for me to use for every day life." She nodded, "It's what my bank account is under. Other accounts. I have other Fake ID's that I'd use whenever I was on the job but this one was the official one." She said as Punk nodded.

"Do you not miss… being yourself?" Punk asked her, walking down the street.

"I can be myself sometimes." AJ nodded, "There wasn't anything that good about April Mendez anyway." She shrugged as Punk just looked at her. He was surprised he'd managed to get her out of the apartment and… taking part in such a normal activity such as shopping. He just thought maybe it wasn't something she'd done in a while, "How long have you lived here?" She asked.

"Well the CIA operates mainly from here so once I got the gig with them I made the transition. I still have my apartment in Chicago for… going back for the holidays or if I take a break or get to do work from home, which isn't often." He said.

"So you do have family?" AJ questioned, "Or you do have a wife and you didn't tell me?" She smiled as he shook his head.

"No, I'm not married, trust me." He said, "And I have no family. No mom or dad or siblings." He said, "But I have friends. Dean, Seth and Eve are all from Chicago too. I normally go back with them to one of their parents' house." He told her as she nodded, "Normally Eve because her mom makes a good Christmas dinner." He said as she nodded.

"Have you slept with Eve?" AJ asked, turning to him as Punk looked at her. He knew it was just in her nature to just ask questions, tell the truth, be brutally honest and completely abrupt and forward. A part of him liked that about her.

"No." Punk laughed a little, "She's like my little sister." He nodded, "Why?"

"Just wondering." AJ shrugged as Punk nodded, "I don't think I've ever stayed in the same place for this long." She admitted truthfully, "In the past few years." She said. Her life was so go go go that stopping felt almost wrong. She was always wondering where the next job was coming from, planning ahead always, and now she was being asked to just sit still. It felt strange.

"You don't miss it, do you?" Punk asked her curiously as AJ just looked around, pretending she hadn't heard him.

"Can we go into this shop?" AJ asked him as Punk looked up, "I wanna go in."

"This is like… super expensive stuff." Punk nodded.

"And who are you to decide what my budget should be?" AJ questioned as Punk just put his hands up and nodded, following her into the designer type shop.

"I like this." AJ picked up a dress, placing it against her body and looking in the mirror whilst Punk just stood looking around, "Oh, and this." She picked up the jumper, looking over to the women at the cash desk, watching as they whispered whilst looking over at her. Just as she felt herself comfortable, fitting in with other shoppers and city watchers, she felt like she had no right to be here. She felt like she should have been on a job. The way the women were looking at her like she didn't belong in such a place. It made her mad. Extremely mad.

Punk had only turned around for a split second before he realised AJ had a lot of items in her hand, "Uh… that's a lot of stuff." Punk said as she ignored him and walked over to the desk, slamming everything down as Punk watched with confusion.

"Did you find everything you were looking for today?" The woman smiled politely, of course she wouldn't say anything to AJ to her face.

"Mhm." AJ smiled sarcastically, leering at the woman as she scanned the items and put them in a bag, "You know you should put a sign on your window." She nodded, "That reads only rich-looking people allowed." She said as the woman looked at AJ, not knowing what to say, "Oh you… you don't have anything to say?" She asked, handing her over her bank card as the woman took it with a little bit of fear.

"Would you like a receipt?" The woman asked, handing AJ back the card.

"Yes I would." AJ said, looking on at the bowl of pearls sitting on the counter for decoration. She discreetly pushed it over onto the floor as it smashed into tiny pieces with all the pearls rolling everywhere.

"Oh my goodness." The woman sighed.

"Oh, I'm sorry." AJ said fakely, not moving a muscle as she looked at the mess whilst the woman handed back her card, "Thank you." AJ said, snatching her card back, stepping over the mess with her bags and leaving the shop whilst Punk followed.

"Why did you do that?" Punk asked her, "I saw you push it over." He shook his head.

"Because she was rude." AJ said.

"What did she say?" Punk questioned.

"Well… nothing, I don't know… she was whispering about me when I walked into the shop. I could see her. Probably thought someone like me shouldn't be shopping in somewhere like that." She shook her head.

"And smashing whatever that was made you feel better?" Punk questioned.

"Yes." AJ said. He could see she clearly wasn't changing who she was and the way she behaved just because he was trying to help her. This was who she was. Part of him didn't want her to change. He just wished she wasn't as aggressive with things.

"You don't need to be so aggressive and… alert all the time." Punk said.

"Don't tell me how to live my life." AJ said, "Or how to act." She warned.

"Why do I feel like you're getting pissed with me?" Punk asked with confusion.

"I'm not." AJ shrugged.

"No. You are. You're walking really fast to get away from me and you seem mad. What-What'd I do?" He laughed a little as AJ shook her head.

"Nothing." She said. It was very hard to get used to not being on her own. She wasn't sure if by instinct she was just naturally pushing him away from her, or if she was just too worried and if they were perhaps just too different.

"Where else do you want to go?" Punk asked.

"Can I just look around on my own?" AJ asked him, pausing in the street, "I don't know, I just… I want to be alone right now." She said as Punk looked at her.

"I'd prefer to be with you." Punk nodded truthfully.

"What? So you can keep an eye on me? Not let me out of your sight? Like I'm child?" AJ questioned, "This does feel like I'm trapped here." She shook her head.

"Hey, you're not." Punk shook his head with confusion, "I just don't want you to get lost or get tempted to leave. You're safer here." He said as AJ shook her head.

"Please I just want to be on my own right now." AJ shook her head angrily as Punk looked at her. He realised they weren't on the same page. They were different people. They had different stories and this wasn't going to be a case of AJ just trusting him over a weekend.

"Ok." Punk nodded calmly, "Uh... I will leave the apartment door open then." Punk said as AJ nodded, "Just please… come back." He said as AJ looked up at him. She knew it was her chance to leave as quick as she could, go back to what she was used to, the chaotic life she knew, but she saw his face and wondered what if. She'd never wondered what if with anyone before.

"Ok." AJ nodded, turning away from him and walking off down the street as Punk watched her. He just hoped she didn't use this moment to leave.


	23. Doubt

**Doubt**

* * *

Punk sat in his apartment feeling uneasy all night. AJ had been gone for most of the day and hadn't returned back to the apartment. It was then he realised that in the midst of getting her to trust him, he perhaps didn't trust her as much as he should have. He knew she was unpredictable and reckless, and so he was worried that she'd taken her chance to get out of his eyesight and leave the states. He just hoped not.

He could feel a little tension between them early. Like she just wanted him to go away. He knew they weren't really establishing much of what was going on between them. They were sleeping together, but they still weren't talking as a couple interested in one another should. He was nervous to ask her certain things. He certainly didn't want to trigger her with anything to seem nosey. And he believed she was just confused on what to say and do around him. Things were still a little awkward.

He was sat watching the TV when he heard a knock at the door. He got up, hoping it was her, opening up the door where he saw Eve standing.

"Oh, hey." Punk nodded to her as she walked in.

"Disappointed to see me?" Eve laughed to herself, walking into the apartment as Punk shut the door.

"No I was just hoping you were AJ." He admitted.

"Why? Where is she?" Eve tilted her head.

"We went out earlier. She wanted to get some clothes and she… she wanted to be alone." Punk said.

"So you just left her?" Eve shook her head, "Phil, what if she's just taken off?" She said worriedly.

"Look, I think I need to trust her with this. I can't keep her like a prisoner when that's all she's been her entire life." Punk said, "I'm not gonna do that."

"Phil she's probably on a flight back to Russia right now." Eve shook her head, "You're so stupid."

"Hey, wait a minute." Punk said angrily, "I'm the one who is trying to help her here. Don't act like you don't want her to disappear." He said, "I'm trying to keep her safe and… and give her some sort of normal life. She's finding that tough. She's not normal. Ok?" Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I know she isn't trust me." Eve said, "Well have you been sleeping with her?" She asked.

"What?" Punk shook his head, not sure how she could have known that.

"Well I figured you and her stuck in an apartment for a few days… it'd happen sooner or later." Eve said as Punk looked at her, "So you have been sleeping with her? I take that as a yes?" She asked as Punk nodded, "Phil, I really don't want you to get hurt here." Eve sighed.

"I'm not gonna get hurt. It's not like I'm in love with her." Punk laughed nervously, "I like her and I care about her, and you know what… I trust her too." He nodded.

"You don't seem convinced by that." Eve said.

"I do. I trust her." Punk nodded, "I think if she sees people trusting her, if she knows that she means something to someone, then maybe we'll get to see the real her. She's so used to being alone and protective of herself." He said, "Protective of her feelings." He nodded, "She doesn't know how to handle all of this."

"I think she's just playing mind games, and she's picking her moment to either kill us and leave or just leave." Eve nodded.

"You don't know her." Punk shook his head.

"Oh and you do?" Eve asked.

"I know her a hell of a lot more than anyone else." Punk told her as Eve looked across at him, just as the apartment door opened up where AJ stood, with a lot of shoppings bags. Punk sighed to himself with relief as he saw her face, so glad she had shown up.

"Oh… hey." Eve nodded to her as AJ closed the door over.

"Hi." AJ looked at them, walking off into the spare bedroom with the bags whilst Punk turned to Eve with a smirk as she rolled her eyes.

"Shut up." Eve told him, "I take it I can take my clothes back then?" Eve asked as AJ came out of the room.

"Yeah, you can." AJ nodded, "They're really ugly." She said honestly as Eve looked at her and nodded slowly.

"Great." Eve nodded, "The briefing starts at 9 tomorrow." She said, "You should both probably be there."

"Yeah, we'll be there." Punk nodded.

"What's it about?" AJ folded her arms, walking over to them.

"We're just gonna round everything up, look at everything thoroughly and if we have nowhere to go with it we'll need to come up with temporary solution. Strictly speaking you were the one doing all the things that attracted our attention. It'd be nice to strike on the government but… that would just implicate you into all of this and you'd end up back in prison." Eve nodded, "And I know Phil doesn't want that." She shrugged.

"We all… we all don't want that." Punk looked at AJ.

"Right." Eve nodded, "I'll see you both tomorrow then." Eve said, taking her things and leaving the apartment as Punk turned around to AJ.

"Hey, did you get more things?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "You look worried." She shook her head.

"I was… I wasn't sure if you were gonna come back or not." He admitted.

"You didn't trust me?" AJ asked, "I don't blame you if you don't. Not a lot of people would." She shrugged, "I don't think I trust you either." She admitted as Punk looked across at her, "And I also don't think this… whatever it is we're doing or trying to do… is gonna work." She admitted truthfully.

Being out on her own cleared her head and gave her time to think about pushing all the good in her life right now away. Meaning him of course. She'd spent the day scaring herself of everything that could go wrong and just longed to be back out in the world on her own.

"What do you mean?" Punk shook his head.

"We're not the same people." AJ said, "I should be in prison and I don't need you using my past as a way to… let me off with everything I've done." She nodded, "Yeah maybe I was persuaded, taken advantage of but… no one really forced me to do what I did." She nodded, "And for you to like me, despite all of that… I don't know, it just seems a little weird." She admitted truthfully.

"Or you're just afraid of having any sort of normal relationship in your life that you're trying to push me away." Punk nodded, "No one is perfect-"

"Phil." AJ rolled her eyes, "I'm very, very far from perfect." She nodded, "And I should be left alone. I don't wanna have something good and then ruin it so it's… it's better to quit while I'm ahead right?" She said.

"Bullshit." Punk laughed a little, "I just think you're scared because you've never known love before." He said.

"Love?" AJ gulped a little, "What?" Her voice cracked a little as Punk rubbed the back of his neck, "You love me?" She shook her head.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "Yeah, I do. I think you're brave and smart as hell, beautiful, misunderstood-"

"I'm just a challenge to you. You want to fix me." AJ said, "How can you love me when I've done so many terrible things? I'm the complete opposite of you."

"Because you were doing it to save your life, and I get that maybe you… somehow started to enjoy it but think about what you've been through-"

"No. I don't want to think about it." AJ said.

"Well maybe that's the problem." Punk said, "Awful, awful things happened to you. As a child. As an adult. As a woman. I don't expect anyone to be normal after all of that." He shook his head as AJ looked up at him, "And I'm not saying I love you despite all of that. I love you. As you are right now. I'm not saying I love you if… you change your ways and you don't do certain things-"

"Stop… saying the words." AJ massaged the side of her head.

"Why? Because it scares you?" Punk questioned. He did love her. It was the only way to figure out what he felt for her. He was intrigued by her, blown away, he felt himself thinking about her every second of the day and when it was just them, in bed, where he could hold her and keep her close, the only thing he felt was love.

"Because it's not true. You don't love me." AJ said.

"Don't tell me how I feel." Punk said, taking a phrase from her as she looked at him, "I do love you. And I don't expect to hear those words back but I want you to believe me." He said as AJ folded her arms.

"This would never work." AJ said, "I can't just settle somewhere. Sit still. It's not what I know."

"You don't deserve to be living your life constantly on the go. Working for people who are just using you-"

"I'm used to being used, don't worry." AJ nodded.

"Well you shouldn't be." Punk said, "This is your chance to get out." Punk nodded.

"And do what? Sit in your apartment all day?" AJ questioned.

"I'd get you working with us." Punk said, "It might not be legal but… you definitely have a brain for it and the skills." He said, "You could channel all of that into something positive."

"Your friends hate me. I stabbed Eve. They're not gonna work with me." AJ said, "And I… I can't work with them." She shook her head.

"Then just work with me." Punk nodded, "I just want to help you." He said. It was that simple.

"What are you getting out of this?" AJ wondered.

"Nothing." Punk said, "Apart from falling for someone… really hard." He nodded, "I don't throw that word around all the time. In fact, I don't think I've ever said those words to another person before." He said.

"I did." AJ nodded, "And then I slit his throat." She looked him in the eye as Punk looked across at her. It amazed her that even after all he knew, he was still here, telling her how much he cared for her. She was blown away and even more terrified.

"Look if you wanna throw excuses at me then go ahead. But if you wanted to leave so bad, you would have by now. You're smart and powerful enough to have gotten by me and left. You could have killed me by now but you haven't. Because you care." He nodded as AJ folded her arms, "And there's nothing wrong with that. You're allowed to feel things." He assured her as AJ looked down.

"I am so messed up." She shook her head, "My ex-boyfriend, the one I killed, he didn't even know about what happened to me when I was little, and he still thought I was messed up." She shook her head as Punk looked across at her, "How can you love me?" She asked.

She wasn't one of those girls who were begging to hear compliments, she was genuinely confused as to why someone actually cared about her like this.

"Because I… I just do." Punk shrugged, "I didn't expect to fall in love with you but when it's just us, when we're lying in bed and no one is there, we're just talking… it's the best I've felt in my entire life." He said, "And everything you've been through, somehow you're still standing and to me that's… that's amazing." He nodded.

"No one has ever wanted me like this." AJ admitted. She'd met many of men, some whilst on her job, some unfortunately when she was younger, and they all wanted her for sure, but just for one reason, even after a while her ex-boyfriend, as he became abusive, he just wanted her for one thing but this… this was so different. He wanted her for her. For who she was as a person, and that was the greatest yet most terrifying thing ever.

"Well I do want you." Punk said, "I want you to trust me and let me be there for you. You don't have to be alone anymore." He nodded as she looked over at him.

It was one thing for her to trust anyone, but to feel the way she did about him. It made her feel like she had lost all her senses. Depending on someone else was something she just hadn't experienced before. She felt like a deer trying to walk for the first time, very unsure of how to take the situation.

"What if I stay?" AJ asked him, "What then?" She folded her arms.

"I just know one thing. You'll be safe." Punk nodded, "And you won't have to worry." He said.

There was a time in her life where she was sure she would never feel safe anywhere. She had no home. Home was somewhere inside of her. She felt like all of that was changing with him.

"I'm scared of all of this." AJ nodded to him as he walked closer to her. She could take on scary looking people, she could do difficult jobs, she could survive in the world's worst female prisons but this right here… feeling something for another human being. This scared her.

"That's ok." He nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked up at him, "Me too." He smiled a little as she nodded, "But I am never going to hurt you." He said, "I promise." He nodded as she looked up at him. She believed him.

She leaned up and pressed her lips against his softly as he cupped her cheeks, holding her in against him closely as he began to move backwards to the bedroom. Gaining her trust right now was his only focus, because he knew he was in love with her, and to make it work, he needed her to trust him.

* * *

 **A/N: How will it all play out? Let me know what you think!**


	24. First Day

**First Day**

* * *

"This is where the magic happens." Punk nodded, opening up the door to the unit which they worked in, AJ following close behind, walking through all the offices and sections of the building with him. It was strange being on the opposite side. The side which essentially was good.

"There's so many people." AJ shook her head. She didn't know anything about working with a team, or a unit, she only knew working with herself, trusting herself, helping herself.

"Really? This is just one department." Punk laughed a little as she widened her eyes, following him through the offices and desks, "This is the best room of course." He said, opening up the next door to a private board room where she could see Dean, Seth and Eve sitting.

"This is… your room?" AJ asked as Punk nodded, closing the door over behind him as AJ walked further into the room, looking around at the walls with all the different notes stuck on it, the crime board over in the corner, the computer desks. It was straight out of a detective movie.

"We normally deal with foreign affairs. We got connections with MI5, MI6. We'll team up every now and then." He explained as AJ nodded slowly, looking over at the rest of the guys who were staring at her.

"What?" AJ looked at them all as they turned away.

"This can be your desk." Punk nodded, walking over to one of the computer desks, "We got the best software, it's all up to date." He said as she looked on, watching him as he showed her everything around the desk.

Meanwhile Dean and Seth exchange weary looks as they weren't aware they were gaining a new member to their team, especially not a member like her.

"It's 9.30." Dean announced, "I said the briefing was at 9." He said as Punk looked up and nodded, "And I also didn't think she was coming."

"She has a name." AJ stood up from her desk.

"She deserves to know what's going on too." Punk said, "Go on then." He nodded, "Take the briefing." He said, walking over to the desk in the centre of the room and sitting down as Dean looked across at him.

* * *

"What's going through your mind right now?" Dean asked, standing over by the coffee area in the room after the briefing, "You've taken an assassin into CIA territory, and you… you're giving her a job now?" He questioned, looking over at AJ who was sat at the computer desk.

"She's not who you think she is." Punk nodded.

"What the hell does that mean?" Dean said, "She's murdered so many people. She tried to kill Eve." He said, "How can I work with her? How can you?" He questioned, pouring his coffee.

"Because there's more to her and you know what, she's smart. We could use her help." Punk said, "She's not that same person. She's never had this chance to be good. To have… friends." Punk said.

"She's not gonna make friends here, trust me." Dean said, "You wanna know why? Because she's not a good person. She's gonna end up getting killed." He nodded, "And that won't be on her, that will be on you." He nodded.

"I'm just asking for you to… be civil. She's trying really hard with this. She wants a normal life." Punk said.

"Or you want her to have a normal life so you don't feel weird about banging a psychopath?" Dean questioned as Punk looked at him.

"I don't want her to change." Punk assured him, "She's never had this chance. She's never been in the one place for this long. She needs out of that environment she was forced into-"

"She wasn't forced." Dean said.

"It was kill or be killed." Punk shook his head, "She would have died in prison or she could have gotten out and got immunity." He said, "What would you have done?"

"Died in prison." Dean said bluntly, walking away with his coffee as Punk looked at him and shook his head.

Punk grabbed his coffee and headed over to AJ's desk, pulling out a chair beside her as she watched, "How you getting on?" Punk nodded to her.

"You asked me to write a report. Like a child." AJ looked at him, "Don't you guys go out and fight with people?" She asked him as Punk laughed a little.

"No, not as much as you think." Punk said as AJ huffed, sitting back on her chair as Punk looked at her report so far, "You've… You've wrote this part in Russian." Punk pointed as AJ looked at it.

"Shit." AJ groaned a little, "Habit." She shook her head as Punk nodded, "I thought you said your friends would come round to me being here." She said, "They look like they all want to kill me." She said.

"It's just gonna take them a little while to get used to." Punk nodded, "And they're mad about the nineteen case basically going to shit." He said, "But there's nothing for us to go on unless we… we get into the government but that's crossing territory that we don't even like doing." He admitted.

"So you guys just forget it and move on?" AJ questioned as Punk nodded.

"I know, it seems unprofessional but… we have our answers, it's just hard to do much about it when everyone is… dead." He admitted.

"Because of me." AJ nodded slowly.

"Well." Punk rubbed the back of his neck, "It's done with now. There's plenty of other stuff to be getting on with." He nodded, "And don't worry about them." He said, looking over at Dean and Seth working over by the board whilst Eve was at her desk, "I guess they don't know you like I do." He admitted.

"I don't want them to know me." AJ looked him in the eye as he nodded slowly, "I don't really feel like I'm gonna fit in here or work well." She said, "How can I go from being your target to sitting in the same room as you guys, helping?" She questioned.

"You were never the target for us. We wanted the reason." Punk said, "We got it, and that was sort of thanks to you." He smiled a little, "I think you're gonna be fine here." He assured her.

"I'd feel safer with a gun in my pocket." AJ nodded to him.

"Not gonna happen." Punk hummed, walking away from her desk as she frowned, leaning back on the chair.

She wasn't used to this environment at all. It was hard to digest it all. The work wasn't the scary part. She knew she'd pick up on it. But she wasn't sure if she fitted the mould. She wasn't sure about all the people around. It made her nervous. She knew she worked better alone but then again…she'd never gave working with other people a chance.

* * *

"We're going out to talk to Sal." Punk said, grabbing his jacket whilst Dean and Seth got their things, "Can we trust you two here?" He asked AJ and Eve.

"Maybe." AJ smiled, looking over at Eve and smirking to tease her of course as Eve just rolled her eyes.

"Just don't try and kill each other." Punk nodded, "We won't be long." He said. He was trusting her with a lot, and he believed that would help AJ realise how much he was trusting her with, how much he wanted this to work out for her.

AJ watched as they left the room, turning around on her chair and looking at Eve, "Who is Sal?" AJ asked her.

"Our boss. Well… he's not really boss, we just need to keep him in the know of things." Eve said as AJ nodded, "You seem to be getting on well over there?" Eve nodded. She had a little more patience than Dean and Seth when it came to her, and that was ironic since she was the one who had been stabbed by her.

"It's just writing reports." AJ said, "I want to go out and do something fun." She shook her head as Eve smiled a little.

"Yeah, that's what we all want when we're training, and then we relish the days that we can just sit down and write a report." Eve laughed a little.

"Not me." AJ shook her head, looking on at the files she had in front of her, "Uh… do you have this case file number for me to take a look at? So I can add it into the report?" AJ stood up, walking over to Eve's desk. She was trying her best to be normal, to act like herself but tone things down a little. She'd already told Punk she wasn't going to change who she was and how she behaved, but she was trying her best to trust these people. All of them.

"Uh… let me see." Eve took the name from her as Eve stood at the desk.

"Who is the kid?" AJ tilted her head as she looked at the frame of a little boy on her desk, perhaps around the age of 3 or 4.

"My son." Eve nodded.

"Oh." AJ shook her head, "I… I didn't know you had a kid." She said whilst Eve searched for the file number.

"Yeah." Eve nodded briefly.

"What's his name?" AJ asked.

"Thomas." Eve said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"So what you… you're married then or something?" AJ asked.

"No." Eve said, "Divorced. He actually has taken full custody of him." Eve nodded as AJ looked down at her, "I don't get to see him." She said briefly as AJ frowned.

"W-Why?" AJ asked her with confusion. The one thing she felt when she met Eve was how maternal and caring she was, even to someone who had just stabbed her. She was shocked by this revelation.

"I don't think me and you are there yet." Eve admitted truthfully, "It's your first day." She nodded, "You stabbed me a few weeks ago." She nodded, "I have no problem with you being here but we aren't friends yet." She nodded as AJ looked down at her.

"Fair enough." AJ shrugged.

"Here's the file number." She wrote it down on a small note pad, ripping it off and giving her it.

"Thanks." AJ nodded to her, walking back to her desk and sitting down.

She was completely out of her comfort zone, she wasn't sure if this was just unrealistic or if she just wasn't used to it, either way, she really wanted to leave.

* * *

"How long do you actually think she's gonna last? Before she just cracks and runs away?" Seth asked, standing outside the building at the snack van waiting for food whilst Punk and Dean waited for him.

"Can you not tell she's trying really hard?" Punk shook his head.

"No. I can't." Dean said, "I see a mentally challenged woman who doesn't belong here. I don't know why you didn't just leave her ass in Russia." Dean said.

"They would have killed her." Punk said.

"Yeah. What about it?" Dean shrugged.

"She's not this evil person you guys think she is." Punk said, "I'm just asking you to give her a chance. Is that so much to ask?" He asked.

"We get it. You're banging her." Seth said, "The sex is obviously good otherwise this wouldn't be such a big deal-"

"It's not about that." Punk screwed his face up, "I care about her. As a person." He said, "She's had it rough. Just give her a damn break." He shook his head, trying not to lose it.

"She's had it rough?" Dean laughed, "Everything she has done, she brought on herself." He shook his head.

"Her parents sold her when she was six years old." Punk said as Dean and Seth looked at him, "Child sex trafficking. It's how she ended up in Russia." He said, "Her own parents did that." He said as Dean looked at him and gulped, "And her boyfriend abused her, that's why she slit his throat and snapped." He said as Seth looked at him.

"She was really six?" Seth shook his head.

"Yeah. Really." Punk nodded, "Wasn't it you guys who always reminded me that you never truly know someone's story?" He asked them as they stood in silence.

"Why would her parents sell her?" Dean shook his head.

"I don't know. She doesn't want to talk about it with me. I can see why." Punk said, "And I wasn't supposed to tell you guys but maybe it'll make you see the bigger picture here." He shook his head as they just stood quietly, not really knowing what to say, "And to top it off, the child sex trafficking group, it had connections with the nineteen group, set up by the government, who she wound up working for." He said, "So that's why she killed Adrien and Harry." He nodded.

"She's still a murderer." Dean shook his head, pushing by Punk and walking off down the street to head back to work whilst Seth stood looking across at Punk.

"I didn't tell you any of that." Punk said as Seth nodded, standing quietly, "Let's get back."


	25. Scare

**Scare**

* * *

"She was asking me about Thomas." Eve shook her head, standing over by the copier with Punk as he looked at her.

"And?" Punk shook his head.

"It's just weird seeing her act so normal." Eve said, turning over to AJ who was spinning around on her chair, "Well, a little normal." Eve nodded.

"Well she's trying. I wish you'd all give her a damn break." Punk shook his head.

"Hey, I am. And I'm the one who she attacked." Eve reminded him, "I'm giving her the same respect I would anyone else. But I also know why Seth and Dean feel the way they do. She's not an angel." She said.

"Trust me, I know she isn't." Punk said, "But she's never had this chance. She's never had friends. She doesn't know how to act around these sort of situations. I'm trying to help her with that." Punk nodded, "How'd she know about Thomas?"

"She saw his picture on my desk." Eve shrugged.

"Are you still gonna push for custody?" Punk asked her, "I think with your job status and you know… all the records that prove you're a good mom-"

"I'm never there." Eve said, "Jeff had every right to… to take him from me-"

"No he didn't." Punk shook his head, "No he didn't." He said angrily, "He can't just take your kid because you still love your career. What was he expecting you to do? Stay at home and be a mom for the rest of your life?"

"Probably." Eve nodded.

"Idiot." Punk said, "I say you go for full custody, and we'll all back you. We'll testify, we'll do whatever it takes to get him back." He said as Eve smiled softly.

"I would have to... lighten my schedule here." Eve nodded, "And of course I would do anything to be there for my son but I don't know… maybe this is better. Maybe everyone is better off. Jeff is horrible to me but he's great with Thomas. I know that." She said.

"I don't give a fuck, Eve. He's not just took Thomas away from you, he's taken him away from your family, your mom, all of us… that's my godson." He shook his head, "I haven't seen him in a year-"

"How do you think I feel?" Eve questioned, "I'm his mom."

"Exactly." Punk nodded, "You gotta fight this." He said as Eve sighed.

"Sorry to interrupt." AJ nodded to them as she walked over, "I've finished everything you asked me to do." She said.

"Everything?" Punk shook his head. He'd given her work that normally would take him a long, long time. He wasn't trying to keep her quiet and busy in a corner, he was just giving her a taste of the different things they had to do here.

"Yeah." AJ shrugged as Punk followed her over to her desk, "So all of these reports are here." She showed him, "I also had time to file away these cases. Eve helped me out with a few numbers since I wasn't sure." AJ showed him as he nodded.

"This is great." Punk nodded, "The reports are… really well detailed." He scrolled through, "How'd you learn how to do this stuff?" He wondered.

"I had similar software on my laptop. Doing a job I would have to dig into things. I know my way around the system. And I was always good at writing in the orphanage." AJ shrugged as Punk nodded.

"You're speedy with it. This would have taken me days probably." He laughed.

"Because you've gone for 5 coffee breaks." AJ looked up at him as he just shrugged.

"I need my coffee." Punk said, "Uh… ok." Punk thought to himself, "Ok, come over here and take a look at this then." He nodded.

He was glad to see her really trying. He knew this was different for her, of course it was, and he respected that she wasn't exactly a fan of working with people, but she was really trying her best. He believed his words last night, telling her he loved her, really struck her, because he felt like she really was trusting him a little more each day.

"What's this?" AJ asked, walking over to the desk where Seth and Dean were at.

"This is a new case we're working on." Punk told her, "This terrorist group here, working in the middle east." He said, pulling out a chair for her respectfully as she deliberately sat down on the one next to it.

"They've targeted touristic areas, the last attack was on a beach in Turkey. Lots of people from different countries were killed." Dean explained, "And we know that was deliberate, to make it a… national thing I guess." He shrugged.

"So we find them?" AJ shrugged, looking at the paper work as Punk looked down at her.

"I wish it was as easy as that." Punk nodded, "There's a lot of them. And there's a lot of online activity with it. People are getting their heads… cut off and it's getting put on the internet." He said as AJ watched him open up the laptop.

"Don't show me it." AJ shook her head as Dean looked across at her.

"You can kill people but you can't watch someone get their head cut off?" Dean looked across the table at her.

"No, it would appear that way, wouldn't it?" AJ nodded.

"I'm not showing you it." Punk shook his head, sitting down next to her, "This is who we suspect is the leader. Or one of." He said, "Jamal… I can't pronounce his second name." He said, "This group right here is focused on making money and recruiting. The more recruitments they have, the more money they have… the more powerful they are."

"I know how terrorists work." AJ shook her head, "So what do we do?" She asked him, "Because I… I would just go out and try and find this guy. Blow his head off. Then the rest will scatter like roaches."

"No, they'll just find you and torture you. Cut your head off and post it for the world to see." Dean answered, "You don't just go walking into something like this." He shook his head.

"Well what use is it when you're sitting in an office all day?" AJ questioned.

"More useful than you think." Punk nodded, "You know… Arabic right?" Punk asked her as she nodded, "I need you to translate me some things." He said, "Our key right now is to track these people. Find out their next move. If we know that we can get a team out on them. The four of us can't stop a terrorist attack. Don't be naïve." He said.

"Well we can help." AJ shrugged.

"It's too early just now." Punk said, "Here, these are some letters that the US embassy found in Iran. It's letters from Jamal to some of the members of the group. They were found after a shoot out on a village. Probably the only village left untouched." He said, "You think you can translate?" He asked her as she looked at the picture of the letters.

"Yeah." A nodded.

"Ok, great." Punk said, "I have to go talk to Sal about some things."

"Yeah, me too." Seth nodded, getting up from the table and leaving their room with Punk whilst AJ sat translating the letters.

"How'd you know so many languages?" Dean looked across at her.

"I just do." AJ shrugged.

"Do you guys want any food? I'm hungry." Eve said, grabbing her purse and putting her coat on.

"You guys eat a lot." AJ admitted.

"I'll take that as a no then." Eve smiled to her, "Dean?"

"No, I'm good." Dean nodded as Eve left the room, leaving just him and AJ at the table.

"What are you doing?" AJ asked him.

"None of your business." Dean said as AJ looked up.

"Hey, I don't need to be nice to you right now. I'm trying here." AJ shook her head.

"Actually I think you do need to be nice to us right now since we're helping you-"

"Phil is helping me. You don't care if I got killed in Russia." AJ said as Dean looked across at her.

"Look…" He sat his work down, "I know what you've been through is horrible and I… I can't imagine it." He said as AJ tilted her head a little, "As a kid it… it must have fucked with you and I'm sorry you had to deal with that-"

"W-What?" AJ shook her head.

"I know you were sold by your parents." Dean said as AJ looked across at him.

"H-How… how do you know that?" AJ questioned.

"Phil told us." Dean shrugged as AJ looked across at him. She folded down the laptop as he watched her, suddenly jumping as she threw the laptop at him, hitting him on the head, "What the fuck!" Dean yelled whilst AJ walked over to the desk she had been at, grabbing her jacket just as Punk and Seth came back into the room, "Get her the fuck out of here!" Dean yelled angrily.

"What's going on?" Punk shook his head, watching AJ rush by him and out of the office, "What the hell happened?" He said, leaving the room and chasing after AJ all the way outside of the building.

"April." Punk said, "April, slow down. What's going on?" He asked as she walked to his car.

"Get in the car." AJ told him.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Get in the car." She gritted her teeth, getting into the car at the passenger's side as Punk looked around, shaking his head and getting on into the car.

"Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Punk asked her.

"Just drive." AJ shook her head as Punk stuck his key in the car and pulled off onto the road.

"To where? You want to go back to the apartment?" Punk asked her, "I get it if this was too much for you today." He nodded.

"Just keep driving." AJ shook her head, keeping her eyes on the road as Punk nodded.

* * *

They drove for a little while until AJ asked him to stop in the back of an old factory, where no one else was around. He wasn't sure what was going on yet. She wouldn't say anything the entire drive there.

"Ok, can you tell me what the hell is going on?" Punk asked her, switching the car off and taking his seatbelt off as she turned to him.

"You told them." AJ looked at him with confusion, "You told them about me. About what happened to me." She said as Punk suddenly realised Dean had obviously said something to her, "I asked you not to say a thing about it, and you told them." She said.

"Look, I'm sorry I… I am." He said, "I didn't do it deliberately I was… I was pissed they weren't giving you a chance and I just thought it would help them understand you a little better."

"Understand me?" AJ questioned, "Why do you treat me like I'm some really confusing puzzle that no one can get?" She asked, "I don't need to be understood."

"I just wanted them to give you a chance." Punk said.

"And telling them all of that was going to help that?" AJ shook her head, "I really trusted you." She said, "I really did."

"You can still trust me. I… I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. I just thought it would help-"

"Help who?" AJ questioned, "I told you so clearly that no one could know about it. That it made it more real for me." She said, "And you went and told them anyway." She shook her head.

"I'm sorry." Punk said, not sure what else to say to her.

"I'm not doing this." AJ told him, "I'm not staying here and I'm not working with you and your team." She shook her head, "It's just not gonna work and I was a fool to think it would. It's not who I am." She said, "And I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me."

"That's not how they feel. April, please. I'm… I'm really trying here. I'm fighting for you here." He said.

"That doesn't mean you tell everyone the one thing I never want anyone to know!" AJ shouted, "I mean do you understand what I actually had to go through?" She questioned, "I was six years old in a different country, being sold to men, sometimes as old as 60." She said, "How dare you just throw around that information like it means nothing-"

"It doesn't mean nothing." Punk said immediately, "I'm sorry, I didn't think." He said truthfully, "I was just trying to have them see it from my point of view."

"Your point of view?" AJ questioned, "What? How you see me as some poor, abandoned, abused little girl. How sweet of you." She nodded sarcastically.

"That's not how I see you." Punk said, "I see you as… as someone who has been to hell and back but… but kept fighting, who didn't stay down for anyone." He said, "I'm just trying to help you."

"Well this isn't helping me." She nodded.

"Well what can I do? Tell me. I'll do it." He nodded.

"I just want you to let me go away." She shook her head tiredly, even though it wasn't what she want, she just had to protect herself and her feelings, "Because being with you means opening up and I don't think I can open up to anyone right now."

"I'm not asking you to open up to me, April. I just want to help you and take care of you." He said, "Please don't push me away." He shook his head as she looked at him, drying her tears.

"Do you want to know how it feels every time someone mentions what happened to me?" AJ asked him, "It's like I… I go back there." She said, "And I can see myself. I can see that little girl." She shook her head, "Every day for 7 years I spent being sold. 7 years." She said, "I didn't have normal human interaction with people. I didn't go to school. I didn't have friends. I didn't have family." She said, "I have tried so hard to kill that part of my life but whenever someone brings it up… I… I have to go back there." She said.

"I'm here for you." Punk said, "If you want to cry to someone, I'm here. If you need a hug. If you need to talk. I'm here. That's the difference now. You're not alone anymore." He nodded as she looked at him, "And I am not running away from you because of this. And you shouldn't run away either." He shook his head as he looked at her.

He had to be a special kind of man to still somehow want to help and be there for her, even when he knew what he did.

"I'm so sorry I told them when you specifically said not to." Punk nodded, "I just… want you to be ok here, I want you to settle and not have to be on the run from someone or be scared." He said.

"You can't fix me." She made clear.

"You don't need to be fixed." Punk nodded, "I think you're amazing." He said truthfully as she looked at him. Even when she was mad, he somehow said all of the right things. He believed in her. He believed in her strength and her story didn't scare him, no matter how traumatic. To her that seemed unreal. She didn't think someone like him would exist, but he did, and for her to push him away felt like the most ridiculous thing ever.

She took her seat belt off and leaned over, pressing her lips against his softly, straddling over his hips as she leaned down and extended the seat back a little so she wasn't so close to the steering wheel.

"Why are you so nice?" AJ shook her head between kisses as he kissed down her neck.

"Just to you." Punk mumbled, cupping her breasts through her t-shirt as she moaned into his mouth.

"Please, I want you inside me." AJ moaned, undoing her jeans and pushing them off, finding it a little difficult in such a small space but managing eventually to her jeans and panties down past her knees.

He undone his own jeans, pushing his hips up as he pulled them down with his boxers.

AJ took his length in her hand, stroking him up and down for a bit whilst kissing him roughly, she then used the tip of his length to tease against her clit, moaning to herself.

"Fuck." AJ moaned against his mouth, her forehead pressed against his as she eventually guided his length to her entrance, sinking down upon him and moaning out.

"Fuck, April." Punk moaned, placing his hands on her hips whilst she began to move up and down on him, rolling her head back as he kissed her neck and throat.

"Feels so good." She gasped. She was conflicted, whilst she wanted to protect her feelings, she couldn't help be addicted to the feelings she got with him. She just wasn't sure how to have a relationship. It was so foreign to her but she kept being pulled back into him like a magnet. She couldn't resist.


	26. Chance

**Chance**

* * *

"I wish we could just disappear." AJ whispered, lying in the back of the car in Punk's arms half naked with no effort to move any time soon, "Don't you?" She asked him.

"If it meant… keeping you safe." Punk nodded, tracing circles around her shoulder with his fingers, "There's no reason for you to not have a normal life here." He said, "Forgetting Dean and Seth for a second… you're smart as hell, and I mean you can… you can stay with me." He said.

"I feel like I'm just lying to myself." She admitted, "I was this… terrible human being who helped in covering up a corrupted government-"

"You didn't know that. You took immunity. You saved your own life. I don't blame you for that." Punk said, "Didn't you ever dream of having a normal life? When you were in prison?"

"I dreamed about hot showers and… fries." She nodded to herself, "Those little things were what I dreamt about." She said, "Having any sort of life was completely off the radar." She said truthfully.

"Now you got the chance." Punk nodded, "I'm not trying to jump on you and lead you into this really mundane life but… I figured since you've been through so much chaos that… sitting on the couch on a Saturday night with pizza might be… something you'd enjoy."

"You do that every Saturday?" AJ crooked her neck slightly and looked up at him as he laughed a little.

"Sometimes." Punk nodded, "Or we'll go out."

"We?" AJ frowned.

"Yeah, me and the guys and girls from the unit." Punk nodded.

"I doubt I'd be welcomed there." AJ shook her head, leaning her head back again.

"You would. It's just gonna take some time, Ape." He nodded as she smiled. He was sweet to her. So sweet that she truly believed he would never ever hurt her. That was a strange feeling to have that much confidence in someone, to know they'd always love her. It felt special. Like she'd only get that feeling, that experience with him.

"Maybe I just gotta let Dean and Seth hate me." AJ shrugged, "Until they get bored of hating me." She said.

"I'll talk to them." He nodded, "I'll try and talk them around. To be honest, I think Seth has sort of laid off a little. Dean, he's very programmed I guess. Goes by the book." He said, "I'll get him drunk at the weekend and we'll figure it out." He said as AJ smiled.

"You have such a nice life here." AJ admitted, playing with his hand, "You have friends, you're successful, you have two apartments so I guess you're rich." She nodded.

"I have you." Punk nodded as AJ looked up at him.

"What am I?" She asked quietly.

"What do you wanna be?" Punk asked her, looking into her eyes as she smiled, "I mean I can't remember the last time I asked a girl to… be my girlfriend?" He laughed a little as she looked up at him.

"You're asking me to be your girlfriend?" AJ shook her head as he nodded.

"I know it seems quick." He shook his head, wondering if it would scare her, "And I don't blame you if you just want to take one step at a time but… I love you." He shrugged, "I can't bite my tongue with shit like that." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I'm not really sure how to be… a girlfriend." She said, "But it's the first normal thing I've heard in a long time." She nodded as he smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear, "You sure you want this?" She teased as he laughed a little.

"I don't think I've ever wanted something like this before." He admitted truthfully as she smiled, "I guess this means I owe you a date."

"A date." AJ repeated, impressed, "Wow." She nodded to herself, "I can't believe I'm not running away from you right now." She admitted truthfully.

"I'm glad you're not." He nodded, "You can start a life here. One you should have been given a chance to have… since the minute you were born." He said, "The past is the past. We can't change it." He said as she nodded, "But I'm not interested in the past. I'm interested in right now. With you." He said as she smiled, touching his face softly, cupping his cheek.

"I love you." She shook her head. She wasn't sure he quite understand just how big of a deal it was for her to utter those three words. It was something that came from the heart. Something she was sure she could only say to him. She'd been so alone for so long that she was convinced she was incapable of loving. But he changed that.

"I love you too." Punk smiled, kissing her softly. So much still scared her but having beside her, realising how much she really did care for him and knowing he cared for her, it made her feel like she could relax just that little bit more. That she could try and get used to the idea of having a normal life, for the first time ever. She just needed a little assurance from time to time.

* * *

"Hey, how's the head?" Punk asked, walking into the bar which he knew everyone from the unit went to after work sometimes, looking over at Dean sitting on a stool with a beer in his hand.

"It's swollen and bruised." Dean answered, "She's not around is she?" He asked, looking around worriedly as Punk smiled a little.

"No, she's at my place." Punk nodded, "Can I talk to you both?" He asked, looking at Seth who was sat beside Dean.

"What's up?" Seth asked.

"Well it's about AJ." Punk said, "Mind if we go outside?"

"I need a cigarette anyway." Dean nodded, hopping off the stool and heading out of the busy bar as Punk followed with them, "So what you wanna talk about? How crazy is she?" Dean asked, lighting up whilst Seth folded his arms.

"No. I just… I want to talk to you about me and her." Punk said, "I know she's not even close to normal. But I don't think anyone is." He shook his head, "She's been through a lot in her life. Things I can't even imagine." He said, "And somewhere along the line she snapped." He nodded, "She snapped and she gave up." He said, "But you know what, she came back fighting and maybe it was channelled into the wrong thing but… all she's done is protect herself from… getting hurt again." He nodded as they both stood quietly and listened, "I'm not asking you to love her or hug her every time you see her." Punk said, "I'm just asking you to give her a chance. She deserves this chance at a normal life." He shook his head.

"She does." Seth nodded, looking across at Punk, "I wasn't looking at it from that perspective. We're always so programmed into looking at the bad guys and… keeping them as bad guys. It's essential for us not to sympathize but I get it." He said as Punk nodded.

"Thank you." Punk nodded, "I know it'll mean a lot to her."

"Will it?" Dean asked, "The only thing she seems to care about is you so… what does it matter?" Dean shrugged.

"She cares, trust me." Punk nodded, "She wants a normal life. She's never had that. All of this is so different, so new to her." He said, "Imagine that. Imagine not really having a place to call home. Or imagine not having any friends at all." He said as the both stayed silent, "That's what she's felt her entire life." He shook his head.

"How'd she get out?" Dean asked, "How'd she end up in the orphanage?" He questioned.

"I don't know." Punk shook his head, "I… she doesn't wanna talk about it." He nodded, "So don't ask her." He rolled his eyes.

"You're not normally this kind to people." Seth shook his head as Punk shrugged.

"Yeah, well… she's different." Punk nodded.

"Good different?" Dean asked as Punk nodded, "You in love with her or something?" He chuckled, puffing on his cigarette as Punk looked at them both.

"Phil." Seth tilted his head.

"What?" Punk shrugged.

"You love her?" Dean shook his head.

"Yeah, I do." Punk nodded, "She's not who you think she is." He shook his head, "We're all capable of what she was, when our backs are against the wall." He nodded.

"Is she really gonna stay here? You don't think she's gonna split?" Seth asked.

"I don't think she wants to." Punk admitted, "But I need you guys to make it easier for her. She doesn't want you to hate her." He said, "So please… if you won't do it for her then do it for me." He nodded.

"Yeah, sure." Seth nodded to him as Punk looked at Dean.

"Fine." Dean shrugged, "But I'll be the first one to… say I told you so when she leaves your ass." He nodded.

"Thanks for the positive thinking, man. Always a treat." Punk patted him on the back as he walked back into the bar, trying to find Eve as he saw her sitting over on the stool by herself, "Eve." Punk called, walking over to her as she turned around.

"Hey." Eve nodded, a little tipsy.

"Hey." Punk laughed a little, "You ok?" He wondered.

"Yeah, I… I just got off the phone with Jeff." Eve nodded, "You're right. I… I need to fight this. I need to fight for my son." She shook her head, "Cause I'm a good mom and he… he convinced me that I wasn't for so long." She said as Punk nodded, "You're right. We gotta start living. We gotta start doing things for ourselves." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"You know I'll be right in that courtroom with you." Punk nodded, "You called him just there?"

"Yeah." Eve said, "The power of wine." She said, looking at her empty wine glass.

"What'd he say?" Punk said, sitting down on the stool next to her.

"That I would never win. I'd have to give up my job. That Thomas is doing a lot better without me in and out of his life." Eve nodded.

"He's just saying whatever he can to get to you. You know that." Punk said as Eve nodded.

"I know." Eve nodded, "Hey, what are you even doing here?" She shook her head.

"I was talking to dumb and dumber." Punk said as Eve nodded, "About AJ."

"Oh." Eve nodded, "You know I'm… I'm happy if you are and strangely she seems to… make you happy." She said, "If I knew this I would have gotten you a Russian assassin years ago." She said as Punk laughed a little.

"Yeah, where the hell were you?" Punk laughed as Eve smiled, "I just want everyone to give her a chance. She's not evil. She's just not used to this." He said as Eve nodded.

"You know what?" Eve said.

"What?" Punk nodded.

"I think… she'll be fine with us." Eve nodded, "We're a weird bunch. She'll fit in just fine." She smiled, "You deserve some happiness in your life. Just some." She teased as Punk smiled.

"So do you." Punk said as Eve smiled, "I gotta go. Don't drink too much. You got your pepper spray in your purse?" He asked, stepping off the stool.

"In my purse?" Eve chuckled, "It's my pocket, brother." Eve pulled it out as Punk smiled.

"It's what I like to see." He pointed to her as she pointed back, watching him leave the bar as she turned back around.

"Hey, where is my wine?" Eve asked the bar attender.

* * *

Punk got home, feeling a little better that he had spoken to his friends and that they were managing to look at things a little differently. It meant a lot to him.

"April?" Punk called out, "Where you at?" He asked.

"Kitchen." AJ said as Punk walked around the apartment, walking into the kitchen and pausing for a second as he saw her draining spaghetti.

"Cooking?" Punk smiled, leaning against the side of the door as she turned around and nodded.

"Yeah, I… I can't remember the last time I cooked." She admitted truthfully, "And I was in the mood for spaghetti." She shrugged as he smiled and nodded.

She felt at home. It wasn't for definite, she wasn't asking him to marry her, but getting to live in this normality for just a few days really showed her what she was missing out on. The safety. The warmth. Feeling comforted by someone who actually cared about her for real. It made her feel good. Really good.

"Smells good." Punk nodded, walking over and taking a strand of spaghetti out the pot.

"Hey." AJ smiled, nudging his side, "Where did you even go?" She asked him.

"I went to speak to Dean and Seth." Punk nodded, "I think they're gonna lay off a bit."

"You didn't have to ask them to do that." AJ said, "I mean if they don't like me then… they don't like me." AJ shrugged.

"No, they need to give you a chance first." Punk said, "And if we're going to be working together-"

"You still want me to work with you?" AJ questioned.

"Why wouldn't I?" Punk asked, "You're brilliant." He shook his head, walking over to the table as she smiled to herself.

"I don't know if the office scene is really for me." She admitted.

"Well it's worth trying out. Maybe I don't know… you'll wanna pursue a different career?" He asked her, "I mean maybe this is all too close to home. You're just really good at it, that's all I'm saying."

"I'll give it a go." AJ smiled over to him as he nodded, "I take it you want some of this?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "But tomorrow night we're going on that date." He said, "No ifs or buts." He said as she nodded.

"Ok." AJ smiled over to him, turning back around and plating up the food as Punk watched her with a smile. She made the place feel more like a home. She was becoming his home.


	27. Fitting In

**Fitting In**

* * *

"You weren't off begging your friends to like me were you?" AJ asked, lying naked in his arms later on after dinner. They didn't make it until the end of dinner as they ended up screwing on the kitchen table all the way through to the bedroom. They couldn't help it. It was a feeling of escape they couldn't get anywhere else.

"No." Punk shook his head, running his fingertips up and down her soft arm whilst she rested her head on his chest, "I just asked them to… give you a chance." He nodded, "You gotta understand that they… we… have been always trained to look out for ourselves." He said, "And yeah, they're a little weary of you. I think that's understandable." He said.

"Right." AJ nodded, "I'm not begging anyone to be nice to me, though. I never have and I never will." She shook her head.

"Yeah, I know. I had a good conversation with them. I think they'll give you a break." Punk nodded, "They know you're a great asset to the team." He said.

"It's so weird." AJ admitted, "I've never had this sort of normality in my life." She shook her head, "Sleeping in the same bed every night. Cooking. Going to a job." She shook her head, "I never thought I'd be able to do it." She said.

"Well you're doing it." He smiled, "And you're safe." He nodded as she looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, kissing his cheek softly.

"For what?" Punk asked.

"For not giving up on me. For seeing me for me and not just some crazy assassin." She said, "I've never had anyone want to get to know me before." She admitted truthfully.

"What about your boyfriend? I mean I know it all went South but… wasn't there any good times?" He asked her.

"Maybe for the first few dates, yeah." AJ nodded, "I worked in the casino so I was used to guys being drunk and persistent. He wasn't. He was sweet and kind to me. I fell for it right away." She shrugged, "I think that scarred me. Seeing how quickly a person can change." She nodded, "He was fine and then one day he just… it was like he realised that he had me in his grips, and he just started being violent." She said.

"Scum got what he deserved." Punk whispered as AJ looked up at him.

"You think so? You think he should have bled to death?" AJ asked.

"He shouldn't have put his hands on you. He shouldn't have taken advantage of your trust like that. No man ever should." He shook his head as AJ looked up at him. She'd never met someone like him. She had this perception on men. That they were all terrible somehow, but she supposed that was just from her experience. Phil wasn't like that. He was so incredibly good, but with an edge to him, a dangerous one.

"What about you?" AJ asked, "Any serious relationships?" She asked him.

"Uh… no, actually." Punk laughed a little, "I dated around when I was in the academy. Young and stupid, you know." He said, "Haven't been on a date in years." He admitted truthfully, "Too busy working I guess." He shrugged.

"You love your job?" AJ asked him.

"Yeah, it's important to me I guess." He nodded, "Never thought I'd actually make it." He admitted truthfully.

"Why?" AJ asked.

"I guess I just didn't have the support that some people have. Parents. Any family actually." He said, "It's hard when you have to make those decisions on your own. I'm sure you understand… better than anyone." He nodded. He realised that the things he struggled most to talk about, his childhood, growing up so isolated, it was things that she could understand so well, and that meant the world.

"Yeah, it's not easy." AJ nodded, "What was the deal with your parents again?" She asked curiously.

"Uh… my mom was super young like… 17 or 18 when she had me. She was on drugs. I don't know much about my dad, probably similar story." He said, "I went straight to the orphanage when I was born. She must have made the decision beforehand." Punk nodded.

"Do you know anything about her now?" AJ asked.

"No, nothing." Punk shook his head, "And I don't wanna know. I always tried to see it from her point of view. She was young, scared, no support I guess but… I didn't have anyone. I can be mad at her for that, right?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Yeah you can be mad about that." She said, "But… you turned out alright." She looked up at him.

"So did you." Punk said.

"Did I?" AJ laughed a little.

"Considering what you've been through, I'd say so." Punk said.

"If you count murdering people as turning out alright then… I'd hate to know what you think not turning out alright looks like." She laughed a little.

"It was different circumstances." Punk nodded, "Do you have any idea why your parents sold you?" Punk shook his head, feeling her tighten her body a little as soon as he said that. He wasn't trying to push her, he just wanted her to talk, for them to have their own private conversations, where they could keep it all in between the sheets, where they could talk it out and not feel alone.

"Money, I guess." AJ shrugged, "I don't know them. I don't remember them." She shook her head, "I guess they're still out there." She nodded.

"I don't know how anyone could do that." Punk sighed.

"Yeah, me neither." AJ said, looking up at the ceiling, "I just remember they gave me a stuffed teddy bear. That was all they gave me when I left. When I got picked up." She shook her head, "As if… as if that made everything ok." She laughed to herself.

"You went straight to Russia?" Punk asked as she nodded.

"Yeah. I don't remember a lot of what happened. They drugged me a lot when… when things were happening." She swallowed the lump in her throat, "As I got older I was more aware." She shook her head as Punk listened to her in silence, "There were babies there." AJ said, "Like newborn babies and all I could think about was… why? What do these people get out of this?" She shook her head.

"They're evil." Punk shook his head as she nodded, "Where were you? Did you get moved around?" Punk asked her.

"Sometimes. I guess there was like a checkpoint. Sometimes when we got traded around we would move." She nodded, "It's how I escaped. I jumped out of a moving car. I was thirteen. Getting older meant it got worse. They were starting to use real drugs. Crack. Heroine." She nodded, "Some girls got pregnant. I knew I had to get out." She nodded.

"That's when you were homeless?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I was on the streets for about 7 months before the orphanage picked me up." She said as Punk nodded.

"Relief?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah but also confusion." AJ said, "I didn't grow up like normal kids. I didn't have school. I didn't know how to interact with people." She said, "I had to start learning how to live. Sometimes I think I still am." She admitted.

"You're the bravest person I know." He said, pulling her closer to him as she wrapped her arm around him. She felt safe to talk to him. Talk to him about things she never even dreamed about telling other people. It was overwhelming for someone to have this effect on her.

"I don't think I could ever tell anyone about what happened. Most of it I can't remember, some of it I do… I just can't… I can't go back there-"

"It's ok." Punk nodded, kissing her head as she sighed, "You don't have to. You're here." He said, "It's gonna be ok." He said as AJ sighed.

"Are you gonna hurt me?" She asked him quietly.

"What?" Punk tilted his head a little as she looked up at him, "No, of course I'm not."

"I really don't want you to." She nodded. Normally she was prepared for violence, for people having issues with her, taking their anger out on her, wanting to fight, but… she couldn't bear the thought of him turning out that way. Somehow she knew deep down he never would, but the fear, the scars she held close to her heart would always convince her.

"I'm never gonna hurt you." Punk nodded as she looked at him, "I promise you. I will never hurt you and I'll never let anyone else hurt you." He said as she nodded, sighing softly as she pressed her lips against his. That was a promise she kept close to her heart. A promise she really did believe.

* * *

"Who let me get so drunk?" Eve moaned, sitting at the table in the centre of the room, her hood up, sunglasses on as she rested her cheek on the desk, "And who let me call Jeff?" She groaned.

"You did all of that on your own." Seth said, slamming down paper work beside her as she jumped.

"Don't be so loud." Eve moaned as Seth shook his head, "This is your fault." Eve pointed to Punk, "You told me to fight for custody and now… now Jeff is getting lawyers."

"Good, then we need to get you some." Punk said, "Maybe we'll have Thomas for Christmas this year." Punk nodded as she looked at him.

"You're always so disgustingly positive." Eve grumbled, leaning her forehead on the table.

"Water and pills." Dean walked into the room, sitting down the bottle of water and tablets beside Eve, "One glass of wine normally does it for you. You should know better."

"Since when were you all my dad?" Eve asked them as they sat down at the table just as AJ came through the door.

"Here are those letters translated. It looks like some sort of pledge to me." AJ said, sitting down the letters in front of Punk as she took a seat.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, reading the letters as Dean took one of them over.

"Well we've got new information." Seth said, "This group call themselves the ten triangles. They're operating in some of the middle east countries in different corrupt areas, warzones pretty much. Taking out any sort of living land there is left. Stopping refugees from fleeing. Real bad people." He nodded.

"We need to figure out where they're planning their next attack. That's what we're in charge of." Punk nodded.

"This was found with the letters from the embassy." Eve reminded them, sliding out the postcard in a plastic wallet as AJ looked across at it curiously, "Not sure why this would ever be important." She shrugged.

"Can I see it?" AJ asked as Eve nodded, sliding it over to her as AJ opened up the wallet and took the post card out, turning it around as Punk watched her.

"What are you doing?" Punk asked her, watching as she walked away to her desk.

AJ sat down at her desk, looking on at the code at the bottom of the postcard, typing into the search engine as she looked up the code.

"I think we have our next place." AJ nodded as Punk stood up and walked over to her desk, "France. Notre-Dame." AJ said.

"How'd you whip up that?" Dean asked.

"You see this code down here?" AJ asked, showing them, "It's a cryptic message. Adrien used to give me them when giving me the address to… my targets." She said, "It was easy and it didn't give anything away." She nodded.

"You think this is where they're next target is gonna be?" Punk asked as AJ nodded.

"It's the code." AJ said, "And if this was found a few days ago… I don't think it's gonna give us a lot of time." She nodded.

"You're absolutely sure?" Seth asked.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I know how this works."

"You think like a terrorist? Great." Dean sighed.

"I just know how the codes work." AJ nodded, "He was probably sending this message out to his workers in other countries, along with their cult message or whatever that is." She said, "And this is their next target. It'll be busy with tourists from all over the world. It'll be bad." AJ nodded as Punk nodded.

"Ok, we gotta let everyone know." Punk nodded, leaving the room whilst AJ sat back on her chair.

"Are you always going to show us up?" Seth questioned as AJ looked up at him, watching him smile to her softly as she raised her eyebrows. She believed it was the first time he'd smiled at her.

"I'll try not to." AJ said as Seth nodded, walking back over to his desk whilst Dean stood.

"Good job you're here." Dean nodded to her as she looked up at him and gave a weak smile.

"Just trying to do my bit." AJ said as Dean nodded.

"Yeah." Dean said, realising that her skills, her knowledge, her talent was clearly needed, and maybe giving her a chance wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, "Come with me. I'll show you where we keep the evidence files." He nodded to her as she raised her eyebrows, getting to her feet and following him. She was sensing a better atmosphere today. Like they were actually looking at her in a different light now.


	28. Settled

**Settled**

* * *

"Hey, cheers to getting on top of that attack before anything bad happened." Dean nodded, raising his beer and clinking it off of some glasses as they stood in the local bar they always went to across the street.

A week had gone by and thanks to AJ's inside knowledge, they had managed to stop a terrorist attack from happening. It was a massive positive for them and it saved a lot of lives.

"Cheers to April cracking codes for us." Seth nodded as AJ stood beside Punk and smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You don't drink?" Eve asked AJ.

"No. I'm fine with water." AJ nodded.

"You two really are made for each other." Eve pointed to AJ and Punk as AJ just smiled.

"Hey, can I talk to you over here?" Punk asked AJ who nodded, following him over to a quiet spot in the bar, "Listen if you're not comfortable here, if you wanna leave, we can just finish the first drink and then go." He assured her.

"No, no it's fine." AJ nodded, "They wanna celebrate and… I sort of do too." She admitted with a smile as he nodded.

In the past week they'd gone on a few dates. AJ shamefully wasn't sure what to expect because she'd barely been on a date before, but everything she did with him just put her at ease. Her whole way of living had changed because of him and it had changed for the better. She had routine. She had something to focus on at work. She had company which was the best part.

"Well you really great with helping us." Punk said, "Couldn't have done it without you." He nodded as she smiled.

"They're really starting to treat me like normal." AJ nodded. She'd watched the guys go from not being able to stand in a room with her, to welcoming her in like she was truly part of the family. It truly felt amazing, but she was of course still very sceptical and kept a look out for her feelings in case all of this was just a massive game. She knew those feelings of worry would never leave her.

"Well you're a big part of the team now." Punk nodded. She wasn't vocal about it but he could see how much this meant to her. She was letting her guard down ever so slowly, and she was starting to get used to the feeling of living normally again. He was taking her hand and walking her through it and he didn't want to have it any other way. He was totally in love with her. He knew he wouldn't find anyone like her.

"We should stay for a few." AJ nodded, wrapping her arms around him, "All we'll do is go back home and… you know…" She smirked as he smiled.

"All the more reason to leave." Punk laughed as she smiled.

Meanwhile Eve was sat at the bar with Dean, looking over at Punk and AJ as they spoke happily in the corner.

"He's so happy." Eve shook her head as Dean looked over and nodded.

"Yeah, he is." Dean noticed, "Who would have thought?"

"Not me." Eve laughed a little, "I thought never would divert his attention from work." She shook her head as Dean nodded, "It's nice. I mean… I never thought it'd be someone like AJ but… he deserves to be happy." She nodded.

"Yeah, he does." Dean said, "She's not that bad." He shrugged, "Poor girl has been through a lot and she's just taking some time to get used to us." He nodded.

"So she's winning you over then?" Eve smiled.

"No comment." Dean smiled.

"Yeah, she's been through a lot." Eve nodded, "Maybe that's why they get one another." She nodded.

"Yeah." Dean said, "You heard any more from Jeff?" He asked her.

"No. I'm considering calling him and telling him it was a mistake. I don't know if I have it in me to fight for custody. I don't think I'd win." Eve admitted.

"Why wouldn't you?" Dean asked.

"Because I don't even live in the same state as my son." Eve said, "How can I prove I'm a great mom when I'm barely there." She said.

"But he still had no right to tell you that you couldn't see him again." Dean said, "It's bullshit actually."

"I know." Eve nodded.

"We can get some smart lawyers." Dean nodded.

"I don't know. Maybe I could talk to Jeff. When I go home for Christmas, maybe I could ask him to just… arrange a schedule with me. Let me see him again. Without having to go through court." She sighed, "No use doing it through a phone. He just yells and hangs up."

"No offence, but I hate him." Dean said as Eve nodded.

"I hate him too, don't worry." Eve nodded, watching as AJ walked off to the toilets, "I gotta go to the bathroom." She said, leaving Dean at the bar and walking off to the bathroom where AJ had walked into.

Things felt extremely full circle, as she could remember when she first saw AJ in the airport bathroom in Russia, when she was so terrified of her whilst they were looking to find her. It felt strange that she was now a companion.

She waited at the sink for AJ to come out.

"Oh, hey." AJ nodded, walking out of the stall and over to the sink to wash her hands, "You ok?" She asked her as Eve nodded.

"Yeah." Eve smiled, "Good job with cracking the code on the post card. You really saved a lot of lives." She nodded as AJ just smiled and looked down.

"Feels kinda weird." AJ admitted, drying her hands with one of the paper towels, "Feels kinda hypocritical. Like I've just swapped sides."

"Hey, you weren't a terrorist." Eve shook her head with confusion.

"Yeah, I know but… I don't know, it's still hard trying to get used to it all." AJ said, "I've never stayed in the same place for this long. Well… apart from prison." She said.

"You're happy here, right?" Eve asked her as she nodded.

"Honestly? Happiest I've been in a long time." AJ nodded, "If you would have told me that I'd be here working for the CIA, in a relationship with… friends." She shook her head, "I just wouldn't have believed that in a million years." She said, "It's nice not being in the chaos anymore." She said.

"I bet." Eve said, "You must have been tired of all that running and doing jobs."

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Yeah, it's nice to sit still now." She said.

"You worried about the Russian government?" Eve asked as AJ nodded.

"A little." AJ said, "I mean someone is gonna find out about me. About me being hired and they'll put it together and realise it was me who… killed Adrien and Harry but… I don't feel as scared. I-I have Phil." She shrugged as Eve smiled.

"He really cares about you." Eve nodded, "I've known him for so long and… I've never saw him this happy before." She said as AJ smiled.

"I care about him." AJ nodded as Eve smiled, "This sounds ridiculous in my head but… I'm so sorry about stabbing you." AJ said as Eve laughed a little, "I'm just not used to people and I don't trust them. I just… I was protecting myself and I'm sorry because you're really sweet and I like you. A lot." AJ smiled and nodded. Having a girl friend was something she'd never had. Eve was very sweet and she felt lucky to have her being so nice to her.

"I can forgive you." Eve nodded with a smile, "Do you like to dance?" She asked as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"If you dance with me I'll forgive you." Eve said as AJ smiled and nodded, "Come on." Eve nodded, wrapping her arm around AJ and leaving the bathroom with her.

* * *

"Fuck." AJ moaned, later that night as she straddled Punk naked, moving up and down on him in the centre of the bed, taking his hands and moving them up to her breasts, feeling him pulsing inside her.

"Fuck, yes… just like that." Punk moaned, looking down as he watched his length disappear in and out of her, her hips moving up and down quickly on him like she was desperate for that release.

"You feel so good inside me." AJ moaned, taking his hand, putting his fingers in her mouth as she continued to move up and down on him.

She then leaned forward, pressing her lips against his roughly whilst placing one hand on the headboard to steady herself, feeling him take her breast into his mouth as she rolled her head back.

"Fuck." AJ gasped, feeling him tangle his hand down and begin to stroke her clit as she moaned loudly, "Yes, play with my clit. Just like that." She moaned, kissing him again. He knew her body so well now. Every time they were intimate she swore everything just intensified, "I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned, "Please make me cum." She begged, "Please." She moaned.

Punk began to move his hips up whilst she moved down on him, going all that deeper as she moaned out, enough to tip her over the edge as she moaned his name and came hard.

He watched her as she came, smiling to himself as he watched her eyes roll back into her head, using his mouth on her breasts as she gasped for air.

"Fuck." AJ moaned whilst he continued to move up and down on her. She rested over him whilst he continued to move in and out of her, building up to his own peak.

"Shit." Punk moaned.

"Give me your cum." AJ moaned, looking on at him, "Cum inside of me." She whispered in his ear, kissing his neck as he eventually tipped over the edge, spilling himself inside of her as she smiled, watching him screw his face up as he came hard, "Yes, baby." AJ moaned, feeling his seed inside of her.

"Fuck." Punk moaned breathlessly as she smiled, kissing him on the lips softly before rolling off of him and onto her back beside him.

"I'm scared of how much I love this." AJ shook her head, still a little out of breath, pulling the sheets over them and turning into him as he turned his head.

"Yeah, it's pretty good." He smirked as she smiled.

"I'm not just meaning the sex." AJ said, "Although I… I do agree." She smiled, wrapping her leg around him as he pulled her close to his body, "I hate feeling saved… rescued but… that's how I feel and I don't feel bad about it." She shook her head.

"Hey, I didn't save you." Punk shook his head, "You saved yourself. You survived hell on your own. I'm just showing you a different kind of life. A better life." He nodded as she smiled.

"I just don't want it to fall apart." She shook her head, "Because I really love you and I never thought I'd say that to another human being in my life." She admitted truthfully as he smiled.

"I love you." Punk nodded as she smiled, "And I got you."

"No one has ever got me before." AJ admitted, looking up at him.

"Well I do." He nodded as she smiled, pressing a kiss on her lips as he rolled over on top of her, kissing down her body and disappearing under the sheets between her legs as she chuckled to herself and rolled her head back in bliss.


	29. Fast Forward

**Fast Forward**

* * *

"That was so much fun." AJ cheered as Punk smiled to himself.

"Are you kidding?" Punk laughed, massaging the back of his neck. Everyone had appeared to be a little worse for wear apart from her. Punk swore she wasn't human sometimes. She was quick and fierce and had gotten out of trouble easier than the rest of them.

"No. It was so fun to get out and do something." AJ smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed in their hotel room whilst Punk sat his gun and badge down, taking the CIA jacket off as well as the bullet proof vest under his t-shirt.

"You're so strange." Punk laughed to himself.

"What? Because I like a little excitement in my life?" AJ shrugged happily.

"You can at least take the wig off now." Punk nodded as she frowned.

"You like when I wear them." She smirked, taking the blonde wig from her as he smiled.

"Yeah, sometimes." Punk shrugged as she smiled.

They had been out on a mission in Washington as they working a job which saw the white house under threat. Whilst Punk and the rest of the guys took usual CIA protocol, AJ worked with them almost as a distractor. She would make her way into places which she was essentially not allowed to be in. She had the practise for it after all the sneaking around she used to do. She got the information from them. It was a good system which AJ enjoyed as it meant she was still getting that thrill in her life.

"I wonder if Dean is ok." AJ said, pulling her natural hair out of the band and shaking it out.

"He just got scuffed, he's ok." Punk nodded, "It could have been real bad if we weren't there." He said as AJ nodded.

"And I got this." AJ smiled, wiggling the USB drive at him as he nodded.

"Stick it in." Punk nodded, opening up the laptop on the hotel desk as AJ walked over and stuck it into the side, "How do you even get away with this?" He smiled a little.

"I'm very convincing." AJ smiled, sitting down at the desk, "And I'm a good thief." She shrugged.

Instead of using her skills for bad, she was using them for good to help the CIA, that was how she saw it and was pretty happy with how thing were.

"Look there's our guy." Punk nodded, pointing to the laptop where AJ had gone in and stole some CCTV footage.

"How the hell did he even get in there?" AJ questioned, "Did someone ask for a list of all the visitors that morning?" She asked, "We'll need to go through it when we get back to Virginia." She said.

"Yeah, I got it somewhere." Punk nodded, "At least we got a face." He shrugged as AJ nodded, just as there was a knock at the door.

AJ got up from the chair and walked across the hotel room, opening up the door as she saw a member of the staff from downstairs.

"Mrs Brooks?" The man asked, holding a bunch of flowers.

"Uh… yeah." AJ shook her head with confusion.

"These are for you." The man said, handing her over the roses as AJ took them with raised eyebrows and nodded slowly.

"Thank you." AJ nodded, closing the door over slowly as she looked at the flowers, turning around where she saw her husband of one year, standing smiling.

"Happy anniversary, baby." Punk smiled sweetly as she raised her eyebrows.

"Phil." She moaned happily as she looked at the flowers.

They had been married for a year after a few months of dating. Punk knew he wanted to marry her. He had never been so sure of something in his entire life, and when he asked her, he was so glad to hear she felt the same. They had a small wedding with just their friends as neither of them had family, and it was the most beautiful day and night of both their lives.

AJ felt truly blessed to have been shown this new world of living. One where she didn't have to be constantly scared. One where she felt loved and cared about. There was no doubt about it that meeting him had changed her life for the better. She got to work a job, legally, that she enjoyed and was good at, she got to do it with her husband and people who had become her friends. It was all still a little surreal.

"You like them?" Punk smiled.

"I love them." She shook her head, "They're so pretty."

"I wish this wasn't how we were spending it but… I guess duty calls." He said.

They had planned to go away for the weekend but their job was unpredictable and when they had to be present, especially when the government or the white house was under threat, they couldn't find a way out of it.

"Hey, as long as we're together I don't care where we spend it." AJ shook her head, "They're beautiful. Thank you." She nodded, sitting the flowers down and wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him sweetly as he kissed back.

He was the one person that she could honestly say she trusted like no one else. He'd introduced her to a new way of living. He'd made her aware of her worth and all those nerves she had at the start, worried about what he thought of her past, and worried if he would ever hurt her… they were no longer worries anymore.

"When we get back I'll take you to dinner." He nodded as she smiled, cupping his cheeks. She'd never truly known love until him. He made her feel special. He made her feel like she was living a life again, instead of just trying to survive.

"You're too sweet." AJ smiled, taking his hands and pulling him over to the bed as he smiled, kissing her passionately as they fell onto the bed.

* * *

"Do you remember our wedding night?" AJ smiled, lying naked in bed later on with him.

"Of course I do." Punk scoffed, "Best night of my life." He shook his head.

"Yeah, it was special." She nodded with a smile. Their wedding day and night was very close and personal to them. It was just shared between them and some friends. AJ felt like it was then that she really began to know her own strength. He had helped her realise what she was worth and that was a huge step for her.

"I don't think anyone thought we were actually going to get married." Punk laughed a little.

"Yeah, when we told them they thought it was a joke." AJ shook her head, "I guess it was pretty soon."

"Really? I wanted to ask you sooner but I waited off." He laughed a little as she smiled.

"I guess when you know you know." She nodded.

"Were you nervous?" Punk asked her, running his fingers up and down her arm.

"To get married?" AJ asked him as he nodded, "Yes and no. Yes because it's the most… vulnerable I've ever felt, and I know that sounds ridiculous when I've… been trafficked and been in Russian prisons… but… it was the first time in my life where I didn't feel like I needed to protect my feelings anymore." She said, "Like I could finally breathe again." She said as he smiled, kissing her head, "But I felt like it… it was supposed to happen."

"Yeah, it felt right." Punk nodded. Nothing had felt more right. They'd had a year of married bliss. They lived in Virginia but also went back to Chicago for the holidays and certain occasions. AJ really got into the swing of things finding her place in the team, and she'd also learned how to make friends in the process which was a huge deal to her of course.

"I just can't believe this is where I'm at." AJ admitted truthfully, "Just about two years ago I was… taking jobs from the Russian government to kill people. Travelling all over the world to put bullets in people's heads." She shook her head.

"You still think about it?" Punk asked her.

"Sometimes." AJ nodded, "I think about them catching me." She said.

"They don't know who you are. No one does." Punk said, "I mean in the CIA people call you Kat. It's weird to me." He shook his head.

"Well… April is dead. She died in prison." AJ shrugged. She still had to use her fake ID as there was no April Jeanette that existed. The only ones who knew her real name were Punk, Dean, Seth and Eve. She did worry that one day it would all come out and this life, this perfect life would all come crashing down.

"You're April to me." Punk said, "No one is changing that." He said as she smiled, "And this isn't gonna come crashing down. To be honest, you did the dirty work for the government. That's all they were interested in. They can replace their foreign minister and not have anyone ask questions."

"Yeah, I know." AJ sighed, "It's just in the back of my mind."

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "I promised you I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I'll keep that promise." He said as she smiled, "How did you actually get that CCTV footage?" He smiled a little as she laughed.

"I had to hide in a suitcase on the floor at one point." AJ said.

"Get out of here." Punk laughed.

"I'm serious." AJ laughed, "There's advantages of being small." She nodded.

"Well clearly." Punk nodded, "Are you gonna come back to Chicago with me this weekend for Eve?" He asked her, "The custody trial is starting."

"Of course I'll be there." AJ nodded, "I really hope it goes her way." She shook her head.

"Yeah, me too." Punk nodded, "Maybe we can take the weekend off and spend it in Chicago." He said.

"As long as we're spending it together I don't care." She smiled up at him, pressing her lips against his softly, "Can we order room service?" She asked, sitting up in the bed and reaching over for the menu whilst Punk kissed her hip and side, "I could eat some pizza right now." She nodded eagerly as he smiled.

Finding her in some ways felt like he had found himself. She was his rock. Despite how chaotic he had found her, she kept him calm, she taught him new things every day. They were on this journey together now and he thanked his lucky stars that he had met someone like her.

"Pizza sounds good." He nodded, "Order whatever." He nodded, getting out of bed and heading off into the bathroom as AJ watched him with a smile.

She then turned to the laptop over on the desk and got off the bed, shoving on Punk's t-shirt and sitting over at the desk where she started the laptop back up.

She looked on at the CCTV footage of the man they were trying to find, who was illegally operating in the government. She couldn't help herself sometimes. She hadn't let go of her bad habits. Sometimes she still felt like a lone wolf with a target.

She played with the pen beside her, staring on at the man's face closely. It was tempting for sure.

* * *

 **A/N: I thought I'd speed it up to get more into the story. Let me know what you think! More to come.**


	30. Always Here

**Always Here**

* * *

"How are things going?" Punk asked, standing in the doorway to Eve's house after he'd pulled up to see her. He knew that the trial for custody against her ex husband was going on, and she needed all the support she could get.

"How do you think?" Eve sighed, walking further into the house as Punk followed, "It was so stupid for me to do this because now he's… he's gonna get taken from me legally." She shook her head, rubbing her hands over her face.

"You don't know that." Punk shook his head.

"I do." Eve said, "The judge thinks I'm a inattentive mother, and Jeff even brought up me drinking. That was one time when we were working the fraud case a few years ago." She shook her head.

"He's a dick." Punk folded his arms as Eve nodded, "Hey, just keep a cool head, compose yourself. You're not a bad mom, no matter what he or anyone else says." He said.

"You have to say that you're my best friend." Eve sighed as Punk nodded.

"I'm not just saying it." Punk promised her as she smiled softly.

"How was Washington? I'm bummed I had to miss it." She said.

"It was good. Lucky we were there with the FBI. Shit was gonna go down." Punk said, "And AJ got in for the cameras, we got a face now which is always a plus." He said.

"She strikes again." Eve smiled as Punk nodded, "That's how you spent your anniversary? So romantic." She shook her head.

"I know, right?" Punk smiled, "We're spending the weekend here in Chicago so… I'm taking her to dinner tonight to really celebrate." He nodded as Eve smiled.

"Where you taking her?" Eve asked.

"Probably just the usual places she likes." Punk nodded as Eve smiled.

Being friends with Punk for so long, she could see he was genuinely happy and had found a partner for life. She never thought it would be someone like AJ, given how they met her and got to know her, but she had gotten to befriend her and like Punk tried to tell them at the start, she had a lot of layers that she didn't let anyone peel off, not until she fully trusted them. Some days Eve believed she still didn't trust them, but it was much better than before. She was happy for her friend more than anything.

"You get her a nice gift?" Eve smiled.

"We agreed no gifts. But I got her some roses when we were in Washington." Punk said.

"You're sickenly sweet." Eve nodded as Punk just shrugged.

"Happy wife, happy life." Punk shrugged as AJ smiled, "Bet you all didn't think it would last."

"No." Eve shook her head, "I knew how serious you were about her from the get go. I was… taken back when you said you were getting married but… now I can see why. You two are really like and she gets you. I can see it." Eve nodded, "I'm just happy you're happy." She said as Punk smiled.

"Hey, if you lose the custody hearing doesn't he need to agree to visitation?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah, that's what my lawyer is pushing for." Eve nodded, "I'm hoping it doesn't have to get to that, though." She said.

"Of course." Punk nodded, "Well is there anything I can do?" He asked her.

"You can go and enjoy your anniversary." Eve nodded, "I'm fine." She assured him, "How are dumb and dumber?"

"Oh, they're fine. Dean got scuffed-"

"Was there a shooting?" Eve raised her eyebrows, "I didn't hear."

"Yeah. Quite bad actually." Punk nodded, "And I got nervous cause Ape was in the white house at the time it went on, trying to get the footage." He said.

"I don't think you have to worry about April in situations like that." Eve smiled, "She handles herself."

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "She's gonna come around and see you tomorrow when you're free."

"Oh, she doesn't have to." Eve shook her head.

"She wants to." Punk said as Eve smiled, "You sure I can't do anything for you?"

"I'm sure." Eve nodded, "Thanks for checking in on me."

* * *

"How was she?" AJ asked from the bathroom in their bedroom whilst she got ready.

In both homes, the apartment in Virginia and the house in Chicago, felt like home to her. She'd never had a home so it took a while to get used to the steadiness of it all but she eventually felt that warmth from it, especially sharing it with her husband.

Her clothes now merged against his in the dresser. Her bathroom products outshined him, her home décor and other furniture of choice was added in. It was her safe place. One which she'd never physically had before. Her safe place for so long was herself, but now she had this wonderful relationship and home to keep it warm in. It was the best.

"She was ok. Seemed a little down." Punk nodded, sitting on the end of the bed as he waited for her, "Looks like she just wants it over with."

"Well I can imagine." AJ said as Punk nodded, "Court is a scary place."

"I didn't think you were scared of anything." Punk smiled a little.

"Well that's not true. You know I hate spiders." She said as he laughed to himself and nodded.

"You hate spiders but you can survive in a Russian prison." Punk nodded.

"Makes sense, doesn't it?" AJ said.

"Makes total sense." Punk nodded sarcastically, looking up as he saw her walk out of the bathroom, raising his eyebrows and swallowing down his dry throat, "Wow." Punk's eyes widened as she smiled.

She was dressed in a black dress which showed her figure off, a slit up the leg just enough to tease him, with a leather jacket over her shoulders. She had minimal make-up because she didn't need it and her long black, thick hair bounced wavy around her face.

"You look… beautiful." Punk shook his head as she smiled.

"Really?" AJ raised her eyebrows as he nodded, a little speechless, "Well you look handsome too." She smiled, walking over to him, fixing his hair a little as it was slicked back, "Hey, don't give me that look."

"What look?" Punk laughed, placing his hands on her waist, moving them down to her butt as she smiled.

"The look of not wanting to go out anymore." AJ said, "Have some self-control."

"But it's so hard." He whined like a child as she smiled.

"The longer you stay out with me… the more I'll let you do when we get home." She whispered as he groaned a little, "Or I could… help you out a little before we go." She said, crouching down in front of him as he watched her undo his belt.

"Yeah, you know… I think this might help." He nodded, lifting his hips as she pulled his jeans and boxers down a little, wrapping her hand around his length as he moaned a little, "Fuck." Punk moaned.

"You want my mouth?" She asked, stroking him up and down with her hand as he nodded, watching as she took him in her mouth, beginning to move her head up and down as she used her mouth on him.

"Fuck." Punk moaned in bliss, looking down at her as she looked up at him, "Fuck, just like that." He moaned, placing his hands on her head whilst she took him all the way into her mouth and all the way back out. The feeling of her mouth wrapped around him was like no other and it didn't take long to work him to a release.

"Fuck, I'm gonna cum." Punk nodded as she released him, sticking her tongue out as he stood up and stroked himself until he spilled himself on her tongue, moaning out as she swallowed what he'd gave her.

She smiled as she stood back up straight whilst he sat back down on the bed and groaned a little, running his hand through his hair.

"Does dinner really mean that much to you?" Punk smirked, eyeing her up as she put her hands on her hips and looked at him.

* * *

"You owe me dinner at one point." AJ said breathlessly, lying flat out naked on top of him horizontally on the bed as he nodded, wiping his sweaty forehead.

"I do." Punk nodded, "The second anniversary." He teased as she nudged him and laughed.

"You're mean." AJ said.

"Hey, I… I gave you the choice." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"I know." AJ nodded, "Fancy restaurants aren't really my thing anyway. I'd… much rather eat cold pizza from last night naked." She shrugged.

"I'd rather you do that too." Punk nodded as she smiled, resting her head on his chest, her ear pressed down as she could hear his heart beating. It was the best feeling in the world just to be held by him. To be cared for and loved.

"I wonder if they're still out there." AJ said, caught in a daze as she normally found herself in after sex.

"Who?" Punk asked her.

"The people my parents sold me too." AJ said as Punk rubbed his forehead.

"Hopefully they're dead." Punk said as AJ nodded slowly.

"It's always those people who… who live until they're old." She shook her head, "I wonder if my parents are still alive." She thought to herself.

"Again… hopefully they're dead." Punk nodded.

"Sometimes I… I wish I could go see them and just ask why." She admitted, "I have so many questions. Why would anyone do that to their own child?" She shook her head. It was something she still struggled with but the only difference now was that she felt it a little easier to talk about it because she trusted her husband.

"They're not human. They're not normal. Anyone who does that to their own kid is… clearly not right in the head. And I don't mean they have issues or what not, cause we all have issues, we all struggle with something but… they're just fucking horrible people." Punk said, "Bottom line."

"I never thought I would find someone who I could actually talk to about this." She admitted truthfully, looking up at him.

"You can talk to me about anything." He said, lacing his fingers through her hair as she smiled and rested her head back down, "I'm always here." He said, kissing her head softly as AJ smiled with comfort.

He was her home now. She didn't have to hide away. Not from him anyway. Finding him, marrying him, finding their love and watching it grow, it helped her to embrace her flaws. It helped her find herself again.


	31. Gift

**Gift**

* * *

"Is this more anniversary presents?" AJ looked over her shoulder as Punk climbed the rest of the stairs to the apartment in Virginia as they returned back for work. AJ had noticed the box outside their door and only assumed it was his doing.

"I'd like to say yes but… I had nothing to do with that." Punk laughed a little, opening up the door whilst AJ picked the box up.

"Feels heavy." AJ shook her head, walking on into the apartment.

"I'm concerned about who is sending my wife presents." Punk admitted truthfully, closing the door over whilst AJ walked over to the table, sitting the box down and undoing the bow that was wrapped around it.

She secretly thought he was playing along and that it was actually from him, but when she opened it up, she knew it wasn't.

"Oh my God." AJ looked down as Punk walked over.

"What the fuck is that?" Punk shook his head as he looked down into the box.

"It's a rat." AJ looked horrified, "Dead, of course." She shook her head, "So you didn't send me this?" She asked him.

"What do you think?" Punk scoffed, "Hey, April, happy anniversary have a dead rat?" He said in questionable tone as she shrugged.

"You like your jokes." AJ said.

"This isn't from me." Punk assured her, "Who the hell is sending us a dead rat?" He shook his head as AJ sighed.

"I think there's something underneath it." AJ noticed, "Get some gloves or something to move it over with." AJ said as Punk grabbed a piece of paper to use so he didn't have to touch the rat, budging it over and taking what was underneath it which seemed to be a picture.

"What the hell is this?" Punk asked, starting to get angry as AJ grabbed the picture from him and looked at it.

"That's me." AJ shook her head, "With Harry. Before I killed him." AJ said, wondering how something that happened almost two years ago had to be suddenly reborn into her worrying mind.

"Why is someone sending this?" Punk asked as AJ turned the picture around and read the back which said 'We know you're out there' on the back of it, "Well I didn't think it was supposed to be a big secret." He shook his head after reading it.

"What the hell is this supposed to mean? Is it a threat?" AJ shook her head, "To tell me they know where I am? Who-Who is it even from?" She shook her head.

"Probably from the foreign minister no doubt. Didn't you see?" Punk asked.

"See what?" AJ asked.

"He got fired. Re-elected. Apparently someone who has people dying all around him isn't who people trust with foreign affairs." He said.

"So now he's mad and wants to kill me? Great." AJ nodded, "Why didn't you tell me he got fired?"

"I knew you'd freak out." Punk said, "Or try and do something crazy." He said.

"I mean this pretty much means he wants to kill me, right? With the dead rat?" AJ questioned as Punk shook his head.

"He's not gonna get near you. I'll get eyes on him and we'll be ready for him trying to start anything. Remember it's not just you on your own anymore." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Makes me feel like that girl who is always on the go again." She admitted truthfully, putting the lid back on the box.

"Well you're not." Punk said, "It's one angry guy who lost his job against you, me, the CIA." He said.

"We don't everyone knowing about this and digging into it all. Who knows what else this guy has on me." AJ shook her head, "We don't want anyone figuring out my real story." She shook her head. It was still very had for her that she couldn't completely be herself. She could be with him, but everyone else it felt like she was living a lie.

"I wish you didn't have to pretend to people." Punk sighed as she nodded.

"Me too." AJ nodded, "I hope he didn't kill this rat." She frowned sadly as Punk smiled a little.

"I'll go put it out round the side of the building." Punk said.

"Ok, but make sure that the lid is sealed because I… I don't want anything trying to eat it." AJ said as Punk just nodded.

"Should I create a headstone whilst I'm down there?" He teased.

"Shut up." AJ smiled as he took the box and left the apartment. He knew she wasn't naturally the type to start screaming and panicking. She was very calm and collected given the life she had lived. When bad things happened, when worrying things happened, it was almost like she was already prepared for them. Life carried on for her no matter what. Her strength was always something he admired.

* * *

"Phil." AJ whispered, "Are you awake?" She asked, lying on her back as she turned around to look at him, shuffling up against his body where his back was to her.

"What's wrong?" Punk mumbled sleepily.

"Can you just… hold me." AJ asked, tugging on his arm a little as he turned around onto his back.

"Are you ok?" Punk asked her.

"I can't sleep." She said as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tight to him, "I just can't stop thinking about that picture." She shook her head, "He must… he must have other stuff on me."

"But we also have stuff on him. He hired this nineteen group. He allowed illegal transfers into his country." Punk reminded her, "He's the guy." Punk nodded, "So if that's the game he wants to play."

"I don't know what he's trying to do." AJ shook her head.

"Don't worry about it." Punk said, "Like I said before, it's not just you anymore. You've got me and you've got Dean and Seth. Eve."

"Having you guys doesn't change the truth." AJ said, "I could go back into prison." AJ whispered, "And I wouldn't see you." She said, suddenly sitting up in bed, holding the sheets to her naked body as he tilted his head up a little, "This is why I always lived alone. For… situations like this. Where everything could come crashing down and I have to miss you-"

"April, wow… are you doubting us right now?" He sat up and looked at her as she looked up at him, "C'mon. You know I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you." He shook his head, rubbing her bare back slowly as she sighed, "This guy isn't allowed back into government so the odds are he… he's looking for someone to blame and he's chosen you. He's not gonna get far with anything." Punk nodded.

Maybe I should just kill him." She shook her head.

"No." Punk shook his head, "No, that's not what you're gonna do. Because then it does start to get suspicious." He said, "Not only for Russian Intelligence but for us at the CIA." He said, "Just stay put and let it blow over. That's all we can do." He said, laying back down with her as she sighed, pulling the sheets up and curling into him.

"I wonder why they picked me. No one ever told me. They said I had skills but… I mean, I'm pretty sure anyone can kill anyone." AJ shook her head.

"I don't think to the extent that you did." Punk admitted honestly, "They probably just knew that you'd be strong enough to handle it. You'd been through worse." He said.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "It all started with my choices." She said, "When I left the orphanage I chose to go out on my own. The sisters at the orphanage ran different programs for girls after they turned eighteen but I was so stubborn." She shook her head, "And then I chose to get with my boyfriend. And even after he got violent, I chose to stay. I chose to kill him." She shook her head.

"Your choices have nothing to do with anything. There was nothing wrong with what you did it was other people." He said.

"You're my husband, you're obviously going to side with me." AJ said.

"No, you know I'm honest with you no matter what." Punk said, "Nothing that happened to you was your fault. You can't possibly think it is." He said.

"When Adrien came to see me in prison I should have said no." AJ said, "But the… the thought of being out again, being free, I just couldn't say no." She shook her head, "And the jobs… the became an outlet for all the pain and sadness. I started to feel control for the first time in my life." She said.

"What happened in prison?" Punk asked her, "It's not something you talk about a lot actually."

"Oh, yeah. I'm too busy talking about the trafficking or the abusive boyfriend." AJ nodded, "You must be so depressed listening to me." She rolled her eyes.

"No, I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say. Whatever you want to talk about." He said as she looked up at him and smiled softly, cupping his cheek gently before resting her head back down.

"Prison was just… like death camp." She found it best to describe it as, "Well you've been, you know what it looks like." She shook her head.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"It was just a lot of fighting, a lot of getting put in the shoot. When you're bipolar and no one gives you your medication and you get put in isolation for weeks… things don't go too well." AJ said, "Guards would just beat the girls, I even heard of some being raped and touched inappropriately." She shook her head, "It was just awful." She said, "When I escaped one of the first times that I was in, during the small sentences, when I got back they beat me up so bad I had to go to the infirmary." She said, "But that didn't help because the doctor just felt all the girls up." She shook her head.

"Sounds like hell." Punk shook his head, playing with her hair.

"Honestly, I think hell would have been nicer. Getting the chance to get out… I couldn't turn it down." She shook her head.

"You wouldn't have met me if you turned it down." Punk said as she looked up at him, smiling and nodded.

"No, I wouldn't have." She agreed, "And what a disaster that would have been." AJ said, smiling at him as she cupped his cheek softly.

"A true disaster." Punk nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Don't worry about this. You're not on your own and it can be dealt with." He said as she nodded.

"Ok." AJ whispered with a smile. She'd come such a long way from not being able to speak up about anything, to having someone who she really could trust to talk about anything with. She could vent to him about her feelings which she'd never been able to in the past. She would normally have kept her feelings bottled up and unleashed them in a job. Now she had him to lay with and talk with whenever she felt like it. She felt lucky to have met him for sure.

"Are you… still gonna stay awake?" AJ smiled, rolling on top of him as he laughed a little.

"We went for hours earlier." Punk laughed as she shrugged.

"And what about it?" AJ asked, "Can poor baby not handle anymore?" She pouted, putting her finger in his mouth and grinning as he just chuckled, sucking on her finger as she watched and smiled, removing her finger and replacing it with her mouth, kissing him passionately whilst their already naked bodies pressed against one another, holding each other close which they'd grown to love to do.


	32. Appearance

**Appearance**

* * *

"Anyone heard from Eve?" Dean asked the next morning, sitting at the table in their investigating room whilst Seth sat his desk and AJ and Punk had just arrived, promising to keep the secret of the dead rat between themselves, no one else needed to know.

"I spoke to her when we went back to Chicago." Punk said, "She's holding up. I think closing arguments are later this week." He said, "Hopefully it goes in her favour." He nodded.

"How are the ribs?" AJ asked Dean, reaching over for the brief paper work for the morning.

"They're ok." Dean nodded.

"It was just a scuff. Don't give him sympathy." Seth scoffed.

"Shut up." Dean said.

"Here's the USB with the footage." AJ said, throwing it over to Seth, "Political terrorism at its finest." She said as Seth plugged it into the computer.

"Anyone want breakfast?" Dean stood up and yawned.

"You just got here." Punk shook his head.

"I've been here for an hour actually." Dean corrected him, "And I'm starving." He shrugged.

"I'll come with you whilst that uploads." Seth nodded, "You guys want anything?" He asked Punk and AJ.

"Can I get a coffee actually?" AJ asked as Seth nodded.

"I'm good." Punk assured him as Seth nodded and left the room with Dean.

"I feel bad not telling them." AJ admitted once the door was closed over, turning into Punk.

"Why?" Punk shook his head, "All they'd do is freak out, trust me." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Having friends to me is… is a really big deal." She said seriously as he looked down at her, "I don't want to lie to them. You shouldn't either."

"Trust me, us telling them would be the wrong thing to do. We don't even know if it's gonna come to anything yet." Punk said.

"Of course it will." AJ said, "This man wants me dead. That's the bottom line."

"One man with no political power anymore." He reminded her.

"If you just let me… go to Russia and find him-"

"April, you're not killing anyone." Punk said angrily as AJ looked up at him, "You shouldn't want to kill people. Even if they are terrible." He said as AJ looked at him, "That's not who you are anymore."

"That part of me will always be there." AJ said, "And when my back is against the wall, when someone is trying to threaten me, you're damn right I'm gonna bite back." AJ said, "Being married to you, having this normal life, that hasn't changed who I am."

"I'm not saying it should-"

"Well you sort of are." AJ said, "If I got rid of him, we wouldn't have a problem."

"Yes we would. Because they would be investigating you even more. They'd figure it out." Punk said.

"Who is they?" AJ asked.

"Russian Intelligence… the government… the CIA here might start looking at it, all the while you're here working for us." Punk said, "Please, it's not worth it. You don't have to feel scared, nothing is going to happen."

"Not unless I make sure of it." AJ nodded, leaving the room as Punk rolled his eyes, running his hands through his hair. It was true, she was still that same girl he met in Russia almost two years ago, the girl who disposed of threats before they even became one, and he loved her for it but sometimes it's what got her into trouble.

"Where was she storming off to?" Seth asked, walking back into the room, sitting the coffee down which was supposed to be for AJ.

"I don't know." Punk shrugged.

"Fighting?" Seth asked awkwardly.

"No, more like… disagreeing." Punk said, "It's fine. She'll probably just take the day off. Things can get heavy for her in here sometimes."

"Yeah." Seth nodded, "Well you can go if you like too, there's actually not that much we have left to do today, it's at a standstill pretty much since everything was passed over to bomb squad."

"Yeah, I know. I'd rather be working." Punk nodded.

* * *

AJ had gone back to their apartment and was currently sitting on the toilet seat with her hands in her head. She knew something had to be wrong for her to be so stressed. Normally she was a lot calmer. She kept things in. She didn't freak out. She figured there might have been an explanation for that in correlation to other things that she had been feeling.

"Please no, please no, please…" She whispered desperately, reaching over into the sink and taking the pregnancy test from it, looking on at the positive plus sign as she placed her hand on her forehead, "Jesus Christ." She whispered.

She looked at the pregnancy test for around five minutes, as if trying to make it disappear in her hands, but she could see it, clear as day. It was real, and she was pregnant.

She eventually got to her feet, throwing the pregnancy test in the trash and walking out of the bathroom, collapsing into bed and pulling the sheets up. She felt tears coming. It took a lot for her to cry over anything.

She let the tears fall onto her pillow before she heard the front door open and close. She sat up immediately and dried her face. She didn't want Punk to ask her why she was crying because that meant telling him and she wasn't sure how she was supposed to do that.

She got out of bed, fixing herself and walking out of the bedroom as she looked around.

"Phil?" She said, walking over to the sitting area, wondering where he was when she felt someone grab her from behind, being dragged out to the kitchen, trying to squirm out of the grips, looking up to identify the person but she couldn't see properly.

"Get off of me!" AJ yelled, trying so hard to fight back but she wasn't in a good enough position.

She was dragged out to the kitchen and sat down on the chair which she was tied to, looking on at the man as she realised it was the man who had sent her the rat, looking on at him as she tried to kick at him.

"Just quit it." The man said lethargically, tying her wrists tight to the arms of the chair as AJ looked at him.

"What? You're that scared of me you have to tie me to a chair?" AJ spat.

"Well I know you're a loose cannon." The man said, Russian and formerly a member of the government, the man who Harry and Adrien worked for, the man who hired the nineteen transfers, the man who asked for an assassin to cover it all up. Eugene Egorov.

"Why are you here?" AJ questioned.

"Because you're the reason I lost my seat in government at the re-elections this year." Eugene said.

"No, the reason is you're a shady business man posing as some lawful people person. You hired people to illegally transfer drugs, human trafficking, child trafficking, ammunition, the lot of it… all so you could bring in more money for the government and suck up to the right people for praise. Then you needed someone to get rid of the evidence and you just so happened to pick the wrong bitch." She nodded.

"I didn't pick you. I left Harry and Adrien in charge of it. They told me picking a female would be easier as it would be… less suspicious. No one would suspect a little thing like you could be capable of all those terrible things."

"Females can do anything males can." AJ corrected him.

"Well clearly." Eugene said.

"You're the reason I was sold to men in Russia at the age of six. You let that happen." AJ spat.

"No, your parents let that happen. They wanted money rather than a daughter. And I don't blame them cause you are… so annoying." He shook his head, "The government needed money and I did what I had to do." He said.

"You brought in illegal money and then you disposed of all the evidence so no one could track you down. It would be me they tracked down." She said.

"Yeah well you've done a good job at avoiding being tracked, and lucky for you it seems like the CIA have kept their noses out of things. This issue is just between me and you now." He nodded as AJ looked across at him. He clearly wasn't aware that she was actually working with the CIA, that she was married to Phil.

"Don't you know?" AJ smiled a little.

"Know what?" Eugene asked.

"I work for the CIA now." AJ smiled, "Under the fake ID you granted me." She nodded as Eugene looked at her, "So whatever it is you want to do, if it's throw me back in prison, bring me back to Russia, I don't think it's gonna work out that well for you." She admitted.

"So they don't know who you really are?" Eugene smiled, walking over to her and crouching down, "They don't know you're an abused, psychotic, dangerous, vindictive sociopath?" Eugene questioned as AJ glared at him.

"Don't push me." AJ shook her head as Eugene laughed, "What do you want? There must be a reason you're here."

"You don't have the luxury of asking me what I want. I came here to take you back to Russia. And you're coming with me whether you like it or not." He said as AJ looked at him with angry eyes.

* * *

Later that night Punk got home to the apartment. He figured that AJ perhaps just needed a day to herself. She sometimes had some off days where she didn't want to talk to anyone and he figured because of the rat incident that she'd perhaps want her space, so he'd given her it.

He got home and closed the door over, "Ape, I'm home." Punk said, walking around the empty apartment, "April." He said a little louder, pausing in the living room.

"In the bedroom!" AJ called as Punk turned around, walking on through to their bedroom where she was lying in bed.

"Hey." Punk nodded, "Sorry, did I wake you?" He asked, lying on the bed on his stomach, looking on at her laying on her side.

"No, I was awake." AJ nodded, taking his hand and playing with it.

"How are you?" He asked her.

"I'm ok." AJ nodded, "Slept for most of the day." She said, playing with his hair, "What'd you do at work?"

"Not a lot. Boring stuff." Punk shrugged, "You didn't miss much." He said as AJ nodded, "I'm sorry for getting all hot with you earlier."

"I like when you get hot with me." AJ pouted.

"You know what I mean." Punk said, "I just… you taking care of this guy, it's the worst possible scenario for you. Because people will take notice that everyone who deals with foreign affairs in Russia is now dead. We can't have that." He said as AJ nodded slowly, "So just… trust me and let it play out. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." He nodded.

"I know." AJ nodded, "It's ok." She whispered as he smiled, resting his head against her stomach as she raised her eyebrows a little. The terrifying thing was, she wasn't sure how to begin telling him about the baby which she'd completely tried to forget about all day.

"Are you hungry?" Punk asked her.

"Yeah, I am actually." AJ nodded.

"You wanna order a pizza?" He asked her as she nodded and smiled, "Ok." He said, leaning over and pecking her lips sweetly as she smiled, watching him walk away out of the bedroom as she looked down at her stomach, slowly placing her hand over it and rubbing it slowly, noticing the blood under her finger nails and staring at them.

* * *

 **A/N: Can't have a story without a punklee baby on the way. More to come. Hope those who are still reading are enjoying!**


	33. Tell Me

**Tell Me**

* * *

"So what is the next steps for Washington? Are we going back?" AJ asked, sitting at the kitchen table as she reached for another slice of pizza. She was hungrier than usual these past few weeks and now she knew why.

"No, it's over to the guys upstairs. We're just the ones who alert everyone, right?" He laughed a little, "They get to do the annoying work afterwards." He waved his hand, "Which is fine with me."

"I guess." AJ nodded, "Just feels a little… anti-climactic, that's all. I thought we had the… the satisfaction of catching the bad guys. No?" She questioned.

"Not really." Punk said, "Look at you, still learning." He said as she smiled, "I got off the phone to Eve earlier. Closing arguments are tomorrow so… she's gonna give me a call when she gets the word of verdict." He said.

"God, I hope it goes well for her." AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, me too. I kinda feel responsible for making her go through all of this." He sighed to himself, throwing down a crust onto the pizza box as AJ shook her head.

"No, you were just trying to be a friend. Her ex had no right to do this. You gave her the right advice." AJ nodded as Punk sighed.

"I just hope it goes ok for her." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded.

Thinking about Eve, what she was going through to get custody of her son, it made her think about her secret she was now keeping. The life growing inside of her that she had no idea how to address. She'd barely digested the information herself let alone tell it to someone else. They hadn't even discussed kids. It wasn't in their radar at all. It was the most frightened she'd been about something her entire life and she'd been frightened before over very serious things. This seemed larger than life to her.

"I actually got some stuff done today." AJ said, "I cleaned." She smiled happily as he nodded.

"Yeah, I saw that." He laughed a little, "The bleach hit the back of my throat as soon as I got in." He said as she smiled.

"I changed the bed sheets, cleaned the bathroom, took the trash out." AJ shrugged, "I also sorted out the mortgage in Chicago. Called some people." She waved her hand as Punk nodded.

"So you had a busy day?" Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I did." She smiled, "I needed it. I don't know how you can work in an office five days a week." She shook her head.

"I've gotten used to it, I guess." He nodded. He knew she did struggle with focusing sometimes. Her mind wandered and she couldn't sit still. It was just in her nature and he loved her for it.

"Is there anything else you're working on now?" AJ asked him.

"No, we were just wrapping up things for Washington today." Punk nodded, "Probably get called on by Sal with something new to look at, no doubt." He said as AJ nodded.

"Can't wait." AJ smiled as Punk nodded.

* * *

Punk woke up through the night, feeling unmounts of pleasure, his eyes flickering awake as he looked down at the bed covers moving up and down below, laughing to himself and running his hands over his sleepy face.

"What are you doing?" Punk laughed to himself, pushing the sheets back as AJ smiled, stroking him up and down before stripping her t-shirt off, "It's 5am." He looked over at the clock.

"So?" AJ questioned, climbing back up his body where he was leaning against the headboard, "What? You don't want this?" She asked him, cupping his face and straddling his hips, "You don't wanna be inside of me?" She whispered between kisses, kissing down to his neck, "Feel me around you. Hear me beg for you." She said, tugging on his ear lobe as he smirked.

"I'm convinced." He nodded as she smiled, shifting down her shorts and panties before settling down onto his length. She moaned out, her hands by his neck whilst he rolled his head back for a second and moaned.

"Fuck." AJ gasped, moving up and down him as she kissed him desperately, feeling his hands on her hips. She just needed him to take her mind off of everything. Off of the entire day she'd had.

She giggled as he sat up, laying her on her back, still inside of her and not parting ways, turning them around so she was laying down upside down on the bed, hovering over her as he began thrusting into her hard.

"You feel so fucking good." Punk moaned, cupping her breasts, leaning forward and taking each in his mouth, thrusting into her hard as she moaned, her head rolling back as it dangled off the end of the bed.

"Fuck, baby." AJ moaned in ecstasy, "Fuck, you do me so good." She moaned, "Just like that." She nodded, feeling him pound in and out of her relentlessly. She knew he was the only person she'd truly have this level of chemistry with. He was everything. He knew her. She only allowed him to know her.

"I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned, reaching her hand down and stroking her clit, lifting her head up as she watched his length pound in and out of her, moaning in bliss and biting her lip as Punk looked down at her.

"Me too." Punk nodded as she smiled.

"Fuck." AJ moaned, rolling her head back again, cupping her breast whilst stroking her clit, feeling herself reach that climax as she arched her back and grabbed his hand. She realised that it all made sense why she was feeling so intense lately. She was normally always horny but that wasn't the point. Everything felt so much better. She guessed her hormones weren't how they normally were.

"Shit." Punk moaned, finding his own release, groaning as he spilled himself inside of her, leaning over her and kissing her neck whilst he slowly thrusted in and out of her, leaving every last drop with her as she moaned and cupped the back of his head.

"That's nice." AJ smiled, feeling him thrusting slowly inside of her.

"Fuck." Punk whispered breathlessly, pulling out of her and running his hand over his hair, collapsing back onto the bed the right way as she sat up, joining him over into his arms, "What was that for?" He laughed a little.

"I just wanted you." AJ shrugged, "Something wrong with that?" She looked up at him.

"No." Punk smiled, "I know you don't sleep well so… if this helps." He nodded.

"Oh, it does." AJ smiled. She wasn't a good sleeper, it was true, being married to her had found out pretty quickly. He wasn't sure why she couldn't sleep. If it was how she'd always been. If she still somehow felt unsafe, even with him, that she had to keep awake for longer times, he didn't know, "I need to be… tired out and satisfied and you tick those boxes pretty well." She smiled, running her fingertips up his chest which had some sweat on it.

"Well I'm glad." Punk laughed a little, "You're coming into the office in the morning, right?" He asked her.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" AJ asked him.

"Well just… after today, I wasn't sure if you maybe needed another day." Punk said.

"I'm fine." AJ nodded, "I'll come in with you in the morning." She said as he smiled and nodded, kissing her head and playing with her hair, "Do you think you'd ever… move to Chicago permanently?"

"I'm not sure. Work is here so… it seems stupid to have a mortgage there and… barely be there." He admitted truthfully.

"Why didn't you just buy a house here?" AJ asked him.

"I don't know I… I guess I always imagined myself living in Chicago." Punk shrugged, "And that's where the guys live too." He said, "Maybe when I'm settled down and I can work from Chicago, we can go back, if you want to." He said.

"Settled down?" AJ asked curiously.

"Yeah with the job." Punk said as AJ nodded slowly, "I could find some way to work out of here. We could… spend more time together. Would be nice." He smiled. They had lots of money between them so they knew that they could be lenient with working. But Punk loved his job, and AJ also loved to stay busy so it wasn't really for the money anyway.

"What else do you see in our future?" She asked curiously.

"Uh… what do I see…" Punk hummed, "I don't know, sometimes I think when you focus so much on the future you… you forget to live for the present." He said, "I'm in the now with you here and it's the best. I just know I wanna grow old with you and… live a happy life. Whatever that consists of." He said as she nodded.

She was discreetly trying to bring up the kids conversation but it wasn't even in his mind. She didn't even have to ask. She knew it probably wasn't something he'd even thought about. He was so focused and dedicated to his job, and to her, that another little person was probably going to freak him out. She wasn't sure how to tell him. She wasn't sure if it was what she even wanted. It was so scary.

"What do you see?" Punk asked her.

"Uh… the same." AJ replied with no answer ready, "I'm glad I can say that now. I guess my future didn't look too bright a few years ago." She said.

"That's behind you now." Punk said, "You don't gotta think about that." He said as AJ nodded.

"You said you'd always love me no matter what. Did you really mean that?" AJ asked him.

"Of course I did." Punk said, "Why would you ask that?"

"You know me. I like to hear reassurance more than the average person. Because of all those issues I have." She shrugged.

"You don't have issues." Punk said.

"Oh, please. We all have issues." AJ said as Punk just nodded.

"We do." Punk said, "Makes us who we are, right?"

"Yeah." AJ nodded, just as Punk's phone began to ring from his bedside, "Who the hell is that?" AJ questioned as Punk reached over.

"Dean." Punk said, sitting up and answering it as he pulled on his boxers and stood up, listening to Dean whilst AJ sat up, holding the sheets to her body as she studied Punk as he engaged in the phone call.

She watched him suddenly turn to her, looking at her funnily as she just screwed her eyes at him and mouthed 'what' watching as he spoke to Dean, as if he was trying to stay calm and act surprised. She began to get nervous.

"Yeah, I'll see you soon." Punk nodded, "Ok, bye." Punk hung up, putting his phone over on the bedside table as AJ watched him.

"What is it?" AJ asked him as Punk looked across at her, putting his hands on his hips.

"Previous foreign minister from Russia was found dead, here, a few blocks away in a scrapyard. He was shot in the chest and no fingerprints were found on his body." Punk said, "Please… please tell me you didn't." Punk shook his head as AJ looked at him silently, "Tell me you didn't kill him, April."


	34. Worry

**Worry**

* * *

"April." Punk looked over as AJ put her clothes on, not saying a word, "April, you gotta talk to me." He shook his head, "Tell me you didn't do this." He pleaded.

"I did this." AJ nodded, looking across at him from the other side of the bed, "I killed him." She said as Punk put his hand on his forehead and shook his head.

"Why?" Punk said, "I… what did we talk about?" He shook his head.

"He came to the apartment today." AJ said.

"He was here?" Punk shook his head.

"Yes. I came home this morning, I was ready to go into bed and have a nap when I heard someone come in. I thought it'd be you so I got out. He grabbed me, tied me to a chair." She said as Punk looked across at her, "He told me that he was taking me back to Russia and that everything would come back to me. That I'd be put back in prison." She nodded.

"And then you killed him?" Punk asked.

"He untied me." AJ nodded, "I grabbed him, got myself some time to get the gun under the sink-"

"The gun under the sink?" Punk shook his head.

"Yes. It's there to make me feel safe, ok? It's there for situations like the one I was in." She said, "And then I… I killed him." She nodded, "He was going to take me to Russia. The whole thing would be blown. I would never see you again."

"You could have knocked him out and called me." Punk said, "We could have handled it together. Now we have a big fucking problem, April." He said.

"It's not a problem. He's dead. And so am I so… no one is gonna know it was me." AJ said.

"His prints are going to be all over this apartment." Punk shook his head.

"This apartment which I scrubbed down in bleach?" She questioned as he looked at her, "Phil believe it or not, this isn't the first time I've done something like this. It's gonna be fine."

"I don't think that's gonna help me right now. People are gonna start digging into this guy now. To see what he's been up to. Why someone would kill him. What if you pop up somewhere?" He questioned, "Then what?"

"I won't." AJ shook her head.

"How did you even move the body?" Punk shook his head.

"I took him out the back in a bag. I got muscles." She nodded, "I drove in through the back of the scrapyard. There's no cameras so we're fine." She said, "I dumped him and then I came back here. I went and had tea with… the woman upstairs, she's gullible so I told her it was a different time. The time that I killed him at so that I have an alibi. I then cleaned everywhere when I got back." She said, "It never happened."

"Killing him was the exact wrong thing to do." Punk shook his head.

"I had no choice. He was gonna take me back to Russia or God knows what he was going to do with me. I was protecting myself, protecting the…" She paused, not having it in her to say it, "Protecting us. If I left with him you'd never see me again. I had no choice but to kill him. Ok? I'm just as thrilled about it as you are but I've done this before as horrible as that sounds, but I know how to clean things up after myself." She said as Punk looked across at her, "Phil, please… I did what I had to do." She said, walking over to him, taking his hands as he shook them away.

"You could have knocked him out and called me. Called someone you trust-"

"I only trust you." AJ shook her head.

"Then you should have called me." Punk said.

"And then what? What would you have done? Killed him with me?" She questioned.

"We could have found something to use against him. To keep him away. It didn't have to end like this. Now there's gonna be an investigation." He shook his head.

"Yeah which I'm not gonna be involved with." AJ said.

"It's so hard to defend you sometimes." Punk shook his head.

"I was protecting myself, don't make me feel bad about that." AJ said.

"Yeah and I know you can fight, so why didn't you just beat him up. From the get go you wanted to kill him. I know you." Punk said, "And you did whatever you wanted to do. That's your problem. You don't think about what happens around you. You just do it and you don't think about anyone-"

"I'm pregnant." AJ spat as Punk stopped speaking and looked across at her, "I'm pregnant with our baby." She nodded as she watched him turn a funny colour of white, looking across at her in silence, "I told Eugene, because I thought maybe he wouldn't be so cold and he'd not hurt me or take me to Russia but… instead he… he said…"

" _Do you think I care?" Eugene chuckled as he looked on at AJ strapped to the chair, "What? You want a congratulations?"_

" _Just let me go." AJ shook her head, "This is all over. Me and you, we can… we can go our separate ways." She said. She normally didn't play the victim card, but she felt vulnerable being pregnant, like she had something more to protect. She did technically._

" _No, you have to pay for screwing this all up for me. Killing Adrien and Harry wasn't part of the plan. You're a psychopath. That kid has absolutely no chance with you as a mother." He said as AJ looked over at him._

" _Please let me go. I… I'll do anything, just don't take me back there." AJ said._

" _Oh, you're going back." Eugene said, "You're going back, and you're going back to that prison to spend the rest of your life, and when you do have that poor kid, I'm gonna take it, and I'm gonna take it to the people you were sold to as a kid. They can do what they want with it there." Eugene shrugged as AJ glared at him, a switch ticking off in her head._

" _Ok." AJ nodded, "Ok I'll go." AJ said._

" _It wasn't a choice." Eugene laughed, "Now don't try anything." He said, untying her wrists and ankles as AJ immediately grabbed him and bit his face, twisting his wrist as she heard a break, listening as he whined, kicking him down to the ground as she dug under the sink for the gun she'd hidden._

 _She stood over him and aimed the gun at him, her finger over the trigger, feeling absolutely nothing as she pulled it._

"You wouldn't have known anything about it." AJ said, "I did this for us."

"How are you pregnant?" Punk shook his head after listening to her explain what Eugene had said. Suddenly he was starting to feel less angry, and more relieved that this man who clearly had plans, evil plans, was no longer around.

"How do you think I'm pregnant?" AJ screwed her face up at the stupid question, but she knew he was just confused and shocked of course, "I… I don't think I'm far along." She said, "I found out today. This morning actually. Before this happened."

"And you're sure?" Punk asked. He didn't know what to think.

"Unless I had six false positives." AJ said, "I'm pretty sure." She nodded as he looked at her, "I didn't know what he was going to do." AJ shook her head as he looked at her, noticing how scared she really was, "I just… it was instinct." She said as Punk nodded.

"Are you really pregnant?" Punk looked down at her as she laughed a little and nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I'm really pregnant." She said, taking his hand and placing it on her tummy, "I couldn't risk anything happening. I'm still really shocked and I don't actually know what to do about it but I know we'll figure it out. Eugene could have taken that from us." She said, "I couldn't let that happen." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body and hugging her tightly, "Are you ok?" Punk asked her, kissing her head as she embraced him lovingly.

"I'm fine." AJ nodded, "I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't necessary." AJ said as Punk nodded, looking down at her as she looked up at him, "Are you mad?" She asked as he shook his head.

At first he was because he thought she'd acted out of impulse, out of want to kill, but knowing the real truth, he could see she was very clearly defending herself, and maybe the bastard got what he deserved. He was just glad his wife was ok.

"I'm not mad." Punk shook his head, "I'm just glad you're ok." He cupped her cheeks, "I can't believe you're pregnant." He said, trying to digest everything at once, "We haven't even talked about kids."

"I know." AJ took a deep breath, "And it's terrifying, and I really don't know how to be a mom." She admitted as Punk nodded, "But I know I love you and everything happens for a reason." She nodded as he smiled.

"I… I hadn't even imagined having kids." He admitted honestly, "Not completely, I just… I don't know, it never came to my mind." He said as AJ nodded.

"Me neither." AJ laughed nervously.

"You definitely cleaned everywhere here?" Punk asked her as AJ nodded, "Did you look into his whereabouts before he came here?"

"Yeah, he got off his flight, went to a hotel, a coffee shop and then he came here. Nothing suspicious and nothing that will link me to him." AJ nodded, "I can't be brought up anyway. Maybe him dying is the final straw with all of this." She nodded.

"Or it could open up more problems." Punk said.

"He's fired. The Russian government won't claim him. They got rid of him. The people got rid of him. They'll investigate and then they'll drop it all after a few weeks." AJ nodded, "I did what I had to do." She looked up at him, "You believe that?"

"I do." Punk nodded, "I just don't want you in danger." He said.

"I'm not." AJ said, "I'm fine." She nodded as he looked at her and nodded. It was all a lot to take in but his attention had just diverted to the baby announcement. He felt unprepared and really wasn't sure how to handle it. It was terrifying to say the least.

"What about the baby?" Punk asked her.

"What about it?" AJ asked.

"What… what do we do?" He asked.

"W-What? What do you mean?" AJ asked worriedly.

"No, I mean what do we do now? Do we make sure everything is ok?" He asked her, realising that she thought he meant alternative options, which of course he didn't. He guessed he wasn't making much sense as of right now.

"Yeah, I think we… we go to the hospital." AJ nodded, "See how far along I am." She said.

"You seem really calm. Why are you calm?" He asked as she smiled.

"I am screaming on the inside, trust me." AJ said, "It's… it's been a long day. I just want to go to bed." She admitted truthfully, "This… we don't have to think about it. As far as we go, we don't know him, we don't know anything about the murder, we're oblivious." She nodded as Punk nodded with her.

He loved her and he would protect her no matter what, if she was in danger then he didn't expect anything less than for her to fight back, and with what Eugene was saying, about his plans for AJ and their unborn baby, he was glad the bastard was dead and gone now.

"Yeah, let's sleep." Punk nodded to her, stroking her cheek softly as they got into bed.

AJ curled into him as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing her head, both of them worrying about the problem of the dead man AJ had killed, but possibly the bigger worry which was growing inside of AJ.


	35. Be Ok

**Be Ok**

* * *

AJ and Punk had kept a low profile since the death of Eugene. Technically, the CIA didn't have to be all over it unless there was any sort of suspicious threat regarding their foreign affairs, which there wasn't, unless the FBI found things that had to be passed over.

AJ felt terrible for putting Punk in this situation but she didn't feel bad for what she'd done. All knew knew was how to keep herself safe and she wasn't going to risk anything happening to her, or their baby.

Which they were currently at the hospital hoping to see on screen for the first time, even though both of them were still stunned that it was happening.

"First time parents?" AJ's nurse Yolanda asked as AJ nodded, laying on the bed.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Any tips?" She asked.

"Just don't feel like you aren't prepared. Because you'll never be prepared for this." She nodded, "But… it's the best thing you'll do." She nodded to them as AJ smiled, turning to Punk who took her hand, sitting down beside the bed. He'd been great after the shock had settled in. It was a lot to wrap their heads around, especially with what happened to Eugene going on.

"Ok, lift up your t-shirt for my sweetie." Yolanda nodded as AJ pulled her t-shirt up past her stomach, watching her squeeze the gel on top and grab the probe from the machine, "Cold?" She smiled as AJ nodded.

"It's ok." AJ nodded, "You'll be able to tell us how far along I am?" She asked.

"Yeah, I should do." Yolanda nodded, "Normally we find women are between… 6 and 12 weeks when they come to us first thing. But we've had some cases where women have been pregnant for months and they haven't knew." She said.

"I'm not even sure how far I could be." AJ admitted truthfully.

"Well that's my job to tell you." Yolanda smiled, moving the probe around her stomach as she looked on at the screen. AJ and Punk both fixed their eyes solely on the monitor as they tried to make sense of a baby on the picture, "Here's your baby." She nodded, finding the right spot as she turned to them.

AJ tilted her head as she looked at where Yolanda was pointing to, which to her just looked like a blob.

"I can't see it." AJ whispered.

"I see it." Punk nodded with a smile, suddenly feeling even more terrified.

"It's right here, you see?" Yolanda pointed out as AJ stared really hard but just couldn't pick up on it. She didn't want to say no again so she nodded and smiled.

"Oh, yeah." AJ pretended, still trying to look at it.

"By my examine you're… approximately eleven weeks. Quite far along." Yolanda nodded as AJ continued to look at the screen, "I'm gonna go get you a little folder with some information, make your next appointment, I'll give you both a few minutes." She smiled, leaving the room as AJ continued to look at the screen.

"You can't see it, can you?" Punk said as AJ turned to him.

"No." She whined as Punk nodded, patting the top of her hand and walking around the bed.

"Look here." Punk pointed to the screen, "It.. it does kinda look like a little person." He gulped, outlining it with his finger as AJ suddenly began to see clear as day.

"Oh my gosh." AJ shook her head, "That's our baby?" She pointed as Punk smiled and nodded, walking back around the bed and taking a seat, "I can't believe it." She shook her head.

"It's terrifying." Punk laughed nervously as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ agreed, "We'll find a way for it to work, right?" AJ wondered, beginning to doubt everything.

"Of course we will." Punk nodded, taking her hand in his, "We'll figure this out." He said, taking her hand and kissing the top of it.

* * *

"We should probably decide on a place to permanently stay." AJ said, walking into their bedroom with a bag of chips, climbing onto the bed and making herself comfy whilst Punk was in the bathroom just out of the shower, "I don't imagine going back and forth from here and Chicago is gonna be ideal with a baby." She shook her head.

It was hard to wrap their heads around the idea of having a little person to care for now. It was absolutely terrifying that they now had this responsibility. AJ felt so out of her comfort zone. She'd only ever had herself to take care of, and then meeting Punk she managed to expand on that, and now having her own baby. It was a crazy thought.

"Yeah and we could do with saving the money. I don't assume babies are cheap." He said, leaving the bathroom in his boxers as AJ nodded.

"Chicago is a bigger place but… work is here." AJ said.

"We can work from Chicago. Well… you'll be on desk work now anyway." Punk said.

"Oh, I will?" AJ asked, "I'm glad you've made that decision for me."

"Well c'mon, it's not like you were gonna put yourself out there in danger." Punk said, "You've already been in enough danger." He shook his head, looking out some shorts and t-shirt as AJ looked at him.

"Are you mad with me?" AJ asked him.

"No." Punk shook his head.

"You seem it." AJ admitted.

"I'm not mad at you." Punk shook his head, pulling his shorts on and his t-shirt over his head, "It's just another thing to stress over, isn't it?" Punk shrugged.

"The baby?" AJ asked with concern.

"No, Eugene." Punk said, "What if someone saw you?" He asked her.

"No one saw me, Phil." AJ said, "Trust me. It's not gonna come back to me. The investigation will be dropped." She nodded.

"How can you be so sure?" Punk asked.

"Because there's no way it can lead back to me." AJ said.

"Unless the FBI figure out why he was here in the states in the first place. They could snoop around his place, he might have stuff lying around, stuff on you-"

"Phil." AJ sighed, kneeling up on her knees, watching as he ran his hand through his hair, "Baby you gotta keep calm. It's gonna be ok-"

"What if I said it was me?" Punk asked as AJ looked across at him.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"I could get off with it." Punk said, "I can say he tried to kill me first." He said.

"Have you lost your mind?" AJ said, "No, you're not saying it was you. Don't be ridiculous. We're waiting for this to blow over, which it will." She said, "I've did this before and people forget, as sad as that sounds-"

"Yeah well I wouldn't be bragging about something like that." Punk rolled his eyes.

"I'm not bragging, I'm trying to make you feel better." AJ said.

"None of this makes me feel better." Punk said with frustration, "This is a nightmare."

"What did you want me to do?" AJ asked him.

"I know it's not your fault." Punk said.

"Well then stop speaking to me like it is." AJ said, "Just forget about it and it will go away. I promise." AJ nodded, "We have something way… way more important to focus on." She shook her head as he looked over to her and nodded.

"I know. I know we do." Punk nodded, walking over to the bed and sitting down beside her on it.

"I know you worry." She nodded, "I do too, believe it or not." She said, "And I'm sorry that I've dragged you into this-"

"You're my wife. We deal with this together." He nodded, "I'd be mad if you kept it from me." He said as she nodded.

"Right." AJ said, "I didn't do this for motive, I was protecting myself. I don't know what that man was going to do." She admitted, "And I'm glad I did what I did." She nodded, looking at him in the eye, "We don't need to do anything now. We let it blow over and we go about our normal life." She nodded, "That's how this goes away." She said as Punk nodded.

"I'm just worried about you." Punk said.

"Don't." AJ said, "I'm fine." She assured him, placing her hand on his arm, "I'm more worried about having a baby than I am about Eugene." AJ told him, "Is that bad?" She smiled as he laughed a little.

"No, I get you." Punk nodded, rubbing his hands over his face, "Chicago is a bigger place, I think it's best we move." He said as AJ nodded, "Just means I'll be working from home, away from the guys."

"I feel like I've… completely uprooted your life." She shook her head as he turned to her. Sometimes she had these overwhelming feelings of doubt. She never doubted how he cared or how much he loved her. She knew all of that. She just doubted herself and her worth.

"You've not uprooted my life in any way." Punk said, "I was living here working before I met you and look at me now, still living here, still working." He said, "Only difference is I have a beautiful wife I can come home with." He said as she turned to him and smiled, "I just worry about you. I worry about how all of this is gonna affect you and now we're having a baby-"

"You think I'm gonna snap or something?" She laughed a little as Punk looked at her seriously, "You think I'm gonna snap?" AJ questioned.

"April, you've been through a lot." Punk nodded as AJ's face faded a little, "You've faced a lot and it seems to keep following you. I know you're so strong. The strongest, but I don't want it to get to you at once and see you hurting." He said as AJ looked at him.

"So you're just sitting around waiting for me to what? Have a mental breakdown? I've already had one in my life. I'm past it now." She assured him.

"I'm not waiting for it, I'm just… I'm concerned, I'm allowed to be concerned." He said, "Maybe we… we should pull back on work, go home to Chicago, get ready for this baby." He nodded.

"Why are tiptoeing around me like this? Like I need special treatment?" She questioned.

"Maybe because you just killed someone." Punk shook his head as AJ looked at him, "And yes, I know you can handle yourself, I know you've done it before. That's not the point I'm trying to make." He said, "It's not just us anymore." He said as AJ looked across at him, "We can't bring a kid into our life with this going on. It's not fair on it. It's not fair on us."

"You don' t want this baby, do you?" AJ looked across at him.

"Of course I do." Punk said, "I just think we need to make it a priority. Me and you, we weren't a priority to our parents. And I don't wanna put my kid through what we went through." He said, "So if that means taking a bit of time off work, selling this place, changing our routine, then so be it." He nodded.

She could see he was taking the baby really serious, which of course showed her how much he really cared. He was already thinking of ways to be the best parents possible and that warmed her heart.

"Everything doesn't have to change." AJ said, "I mean we can still fly out here if there's work needed to be done." She said, "It's not like we're locking our doors and never coming back out." She said.

"I know that." He said, "I just think it's best for this little guy." He pulled her over, placing his hand on her tummy.

"Little guy?" She raised an eyebrow as he smiled and shrugged.

"Little girl?" Punk questioned, "Whoever it is. I wanna be ready." He said.

"I don't think we're ever gonna be ready for this." AJ said, "Are you sure you're not just trying to escape what happened to Eugene here?" She asked.

"Maybe." Punk nodded, "I know you're calm and you're prepared but we don't know what's gonna happen." He said, "Can you just… let me be concerned for you?" He nodded as she looked at him and nodded.

"So what… we just up and leave?" AJ asked.

"Not immediately, we can… let everyone know, I can sort out work for us in Chicago." He said, "We're in a good position I guess to do that." He said as AJ nodded, "I just want to focus on us, the baby." He said, "That's all that matters." He said as AJ nodded.

"I agree." AJ nodded, "I just don't want you secretly hating me for what I did. I… really, I was defending myself-"

"I know you were. I don't hate you, of course I don't. I'm just worried." Punk said.

"Don't. I'm ok. We're gonna be fine." She smiled, cupping his cheeks as he nodded, "The three of us." She looked down at her tummy as he smiled. It was nice, finally feeling that sense of family. She was excited, of course completely nervous, but excited to have a family, something she'd really never thought about until now.

"Yeah." Punk smiled, placing his hand on her tummy, "We're gonna be fine."


	36. Curious

**Curious**

* * *

"At least he's letting you see him." Punk said, standing in the kitchen in their house in Chicago with Eve who had come to visit after the custody trial had wrapped up, which she had lost.

"I still lost, though." Eve said, sitting down at the table, "I'm not any further forward than I was before." She shook her head.

"I know but… at least he's letting you see him. He could be really evil and not let you near him." Punk said, taking her coffee over to her.

"He's letting me see him once a week." Eve rolled her eyes, "I know, it's better than nothing. I just feel like he's in control of me as a mom." She shook her head.

"When you're with Thomas forget about everything. Just… focus on him. Maybe Jeff will up it to two days or three days." He nodded, "As time goes on."

"That's exactly my point. How does he get to decide when I can see my own kid?" Eve questioned, "I'm not a bad mom. It's not like I'm on drugs or… irresponsible. We split up and he used Thomas against me, and he used my job." She shook her head, "It's just not fair." She sighed, placing her hands around the mug off coffee for a heat.

"I know." Punk said, sitting down across from her, "It sucks. I wish it didn't have to be like this for you." He said as Eve nodded.

"And to top it all off, I have to go back to work and you and AJ aren't gonna be there." Eve huffed, "I don't think I can handle Dean and Seth on my own." She admitted as Punk smiled.

"You'll be fine." Punk smiled.

"Did you really sell your place in Virginia?" Eve asked as Punk nodded, "How'd you manage to work from here?"

"I just talked it through with Sal. He was super cool with it. I can just do the same work from home and if I need to make a trip out to Virginia then I can." Punk shrugged, "Same with AJ."

"You don't have to isolate yourself just because you're having a baby, though." Eve reminded him.

"We're not. We're just… trying to get ready. We didn't wanna be back and forth from Virginia to Chicago, so this was the option we went with." He nodded.

"I still can't believe you're having a baby." Eve shook her head with a smile.

"Tell me about it." Punk laughed a little, running his hand through his hair.

"You'll be great." Eve nodded with a smile as AJ came into the kitchen, "Oh, look at that bump." She smiled upon AJ who now had a visible bump as it had been a few weeks since they'd moved to Chicago permanently.

"Hey." AJ smiled, "I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah, before I head back to work." Eve nodded, "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine." AJ shrugged, "Should I be feeling… something?" She laughed a little.

"Well I got really bad sickness with Thomas." Eve shrugged, "It's good you're doing ok." She nodded, "You've really made him an honest man." She nodded to Punk, "Congratulations."

"I think it's more the other way around." AJ laughed a little as Eve just smiled.

"Hey, what do you guys think about the Russian politician guy being murdered in Virginia?" Eve asked them, "So weird. Why would he even be in the states? I mean, that's the guy who started the whole nineteen thing, right?" Eve looked at AJ who nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "Uh… politicians, government people have lots of enemies, probably something we don't know about." She shrugged calmly as Punk looked at her. She was so believable, it scared him. She was a terrific actor, that was for sure.

"Well that's true." Eve nodded, "Is Sal gonna look into it?" She asked Punk.

"He never said. I don't think so. As far as I know it's FBI territory right now unless they find anything suspicious." Punk said as Eve nodded.

"So you're just gonna be working from here now?" Eve sighed.

"Yeah, I'm gonna set up an office in one of the spare bedrooms." Punk nodded, "Whilst building the nursery." He nodded as Eve smiled.

"I'm so excited for you both." Eve said, "I love good news. It's what we need." She nodded as AJ smiled, "Are you finding out the sex?"

"No." AJ answered, "No, I don't wanna know. Phil can find out if he likes." AJ said, "I want it… I want it to be a surprise."

"I just feel bad saying it all the time." Punk sighed, "But we'll… we'll wait." He nodded as Eve smiled.

"I couldn't wait to find out." Eve smiled, "You guys are gonna be great." She nodded.

* * *

"I feel bad taking you away from all of your friends." AJ said, walking into their bedroom later that night where Punk was folding up some clothes.

"You've not did anything. Enough with the blaming yourself for things that… don't need to be blamed on anyone." He said, "It was my decision to move. I was in Virginia for years with my friends, I had good times but… it's not felt the same for a while." He shrugged, "It's not like I'm never gonna see them again." He said.

"Well I just feel like you're changing a lot for me." AJ folded her arms.

"Well I love you. It's not changes that are effecting me. I want to make changes so that we can… be a family." He said as she smiled and nodded, "I know we're both terrified." He nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bed as she walked over to him and sat down beside him.

"We can agree on that." She nodded.

"But we have each other." He said, "I know we pretty much have to learn from scratch. It's not like we have role models to look up to or anything." He said, "But I think that gives us a guide. We can be the mom and dad that we wanted growing up. That we needed." He said as she smiled, kissing his shoulder. He always had good intentions and she was blessed to be having his baby, and to know the baby had a wonderful father because he knew that's what he would be.

"We're not gonna be our parents." AJ nodded, "I'm gonna protect this little… thing." She rolled her eyes, "I'm scared I'm actually gonna be too protective." She laughed a little as he smiled.

"Not a bad thing." Punk shook his head.

"Are you still thinking about Eugene?" AJ asked him.

"No, not as much." Punk said, "It's not him I was thinking about. It was you. How this could end up hurting you." He said, "The what happens? You go back to Russia, to prison, I'm here with a baby on my own, I lose my wife-"

"That's not going to happen." She said with such assurance, "Yes, I shouldn't have done what I did but it wasn't a choice. I couldn't let him take me back there, because that's what he wanted. You wouldn't have even known I was pregnant and I would have had to watch my baby get… sold like I was… no way." She shook her head, "I don't regret killing him." She nodded, "I'm gonna be fine." She nodded.

"I would have found you." Punk nodded, "I would have known you wouldn't have let freely." He said, "And I would have… became the Russian president so I could pardon you from prison." He shrugged as AJ smiled.

"Oh, really?" AJ nodded as he smiled to her, "Phil, my life is… it's non-existent. At times I thought that was a bad thing but in cases like this, I'm just a ghost. I don't exist anywhere." She said, "Which means no one is ever gonna be looking for me. Eugene was the only one and now he's… he's gone." She said.

"Yeah, I know." Punk nodded, "It's just still a worry. I never wanna lose you." He said.

"You're not gonna." She said, "I promise." She nodded, kissing his cheek as he turned around, looking on at her, leaning forward and kissing her lips softly, scrunching his hand into her hair at the side of her head as they fell back down onto the bed.

"I want you so much." AJ groaned. Her hormones were all out whack, all she knew was that food and sex meant the most to her right now.

Punk lifted her t-shirt up, going back to her lips which he trailed his lips from down her neck, moving down to her chest as he unclasped her bra. He cupped her breasts and used his mouth on them which made her moan a little louder than normal. Everything just felt so much better.

He kissed down her body softly, coming to her little bump along the way as he smiled, kissing the bump as AJ looked down and smiled, running her hand through his hair as he continued down her body.

* * *

Later that night AJ was wide awake, lying naked in bed with Punk, just watching and listening to him sleeping peacefully. She wasn't sure why she was so wide awake, she did have trouble sleeping but she felt tired. Something was keeping her awake.

She felt lucky that she did have someone like Punk in her life. He really did care. Every day she was reminded by just how much he did care, and she knew he was going to be the best father, which put her a little at ease.

She sat up in bed and reached for the laptop on the bedside table, sitting up and putting it on her lap. It was one of the laptops from the CIA offices, which was useful for what she wanted to look up.

The sudden brightness and movement in the room woke Punk up. He opened his eyes, looking on at her sitting up with the laptop.

"What are you doing?" He grumbled, "It's late." He said with sleepy eyes, looking up at her, rolling onto his stomach.

"I wanna know if my parents are still alive." She nodded.

"Why?" Punk shook his head, sitting up as she shrugged.

"I don't know. I just… wanna know if they're still out there." She nodded.

"Do you think that's really a good idea?" Punk asked her, "Why the curiosity all of a sudden?"

"I don't know, maybe because I'm pregnant and… I don't know this baby yet but… I already know that I wouldn't wanna hurt it or cause it any pain." She said, "Why would they?" She asked him, "I wanna know if they're still alive." She nodded.

"And then what?" Punk asked her.

"Nothing. I'm just curious." AJ nodded, "Hopefully they're dead."


	37. Going Back

**Going Back**

* * *

"My mom died four years ago." AJ said, sitting in bed through the night as Punk sat beside her, looking on at the laptop. Looking with him made her feel less afraid. She didn't really know anything about her parents, just their names, where they lived and the fact they were evil people.

"How'd she die?" Punk asked.

"Brain haemorrhage." AJ said, "My dad is in a nursing home. Stage 4 pancreatic cancer." She nodded to herself.

"Talk about karma." Punk said as AJ nodded, "That nursing home isn't far." Punk noticed the address.

"How long away?" AJ asked him.

"Like fifteen minutes or something." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"I'd say I wanna kill him but… I hope he's just in pain for years." She nodded.

"I do too." Punk nodded. He really couldn't get into the brain of someone who would hurt their child the way AJ's parents had done to her. To see money as more value to them as their own daughter. The only word he felt best to describe it was evil.

"Not a criminal record between them both. Fancy that." AJ shook her head, looking into information about them.

"Why are you looking at this?" Punk turned to her as AJ shrugged.

"I don't know. I just… I just don't understand. It was part of my life that I shut off and then meeting you I opened up about it, made me think about how twisted they had to be to just hand me over to some stranger for money. Knowing what would be done to me, knowing where I was going." She shook her head, "I just don't get it."

"I don't we ever will. People like that… they're not wired like us."

"I'm not exactly wired right but I still can't understand it." AJ said.

"You are." Punk said, "You're the smartest person I know." He said.

"I just… I look down at my bump and I… I can't wait to meet it, girl or boy, whoever it's gonna be." She smiled, "And I'm already thinking about the future with him or her. Raising it with you. I couldn't imagine thinking what my parents thought about me. I… I don't know, I just struggle to understand it."

"You're not supposed to understand it." Punk assured her, "It's not something that should ever be understood. It's evil. So much is going on in the world right now. Terrible things. And that's the things we hear about. What about the stuff we don't see or hear about in the news?" He said as AJ nodded.

"The world is a mean place." AJ shook her head, "I wanna make sure our baby is safe and loved and… and knows that we will do anything for her or him." She nodded as Punk smiled.

"They'll know." He said, kissing her head softly, "Why don't we put this away and get some sleep?" He asked her.

"Just… five more minutes." AJ waved her hand, still looking into some things, "Wait a second… It says one child here but it's not the year I was born." She pointed as Punk looked on, "And it says the child is deceased."

"Let me see." Punk said, knowing a little more about the CIA software than AJ of course, "This here?" He pointed as AJ nodded.

"Yeah I was… ten or something then." AJ nodded as Punk looked into it.

"Coleen Mendez?" Punk turned to her.

"Is there a picture?" AJ asked.

"Says here she died when she was six." Punk said, "This was another kid your parents had." Punk said, looking at her, "This was your little sister." He said as AJ took the laptop from him, looking at the picture of the little girl which looked just like her.

"No…" AJ whispered, shaking her head, "No, it can't be. I had no brothers and sisters." AJ shrugged.

"This was after they sold you." Punk said as AJ looked at the dates, "How did she die?" He questioned.

"She didn't." AJ shook her head, "They sold her too." AJ realised suddenly, "It says here she was six when she died, a few weeks after her birthday. That was when they sold me." She said, "And they said I had died. That's what they told people."

"So you… you think they sold her?" Punk asked.

"They had to." AJ shook her head, in complete shock, "I have… I have a sister?" She questioned as Punk looked at her.

"We don't know for sure if she was sold or not." Punk said, trying not to get her hopes built up on someone who wasn't even alive.

"It's the exact same situation that I was in." AJ said, "Don't tell me it's a coincidence." She shook her head as Punk looked at the laptop, "I have a little sister out there." She shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"What age?" Punk asked as AJ looked at the dates, doing the math.

"Uh… nineteen I think." She nodded, "I can't believe this." She shook her head, "What if she's still out there, being trafficked?" AJ turned to him, "What if I met her and I didn't even know?" AJ questioned.

"We don't know anything right now." Punk said, trying to keep her calm, "April, she might not be alive. You need to understand that before getting carried away."

"I also need to understand that I might have a sister out there who… who is in trouble, who needs my help." AJ said, "I need to help her."

"You're five months pregnant." Punk reminded her.

"Yeah, what's your point?" AJ asked.

"You're gonna go around trafficking camps and search for someone called Coleen? Really?" Punk asked her as AJ looked at him, "Look, we'll look into this. I promise. We'll do it together, I'll even clue the guys up on it and get their help but… this isn't where you book a flight, grab a wig and go… do what you annoyingly do best." He said, "This is a dangerous operating area. You know that." He said.

"Of course I know that but this is… possibly my sister." AJ shook her head, "I can't do nothing."

She always mourned the idea that she truly had no family that could understand her, that would love her, and then she met Phil and he became her real family. But the thought of a sister being out there, one who could possibly relate to her, one who she could help the way she begged someone to help her, she couldn't just do nothing.

"We're not gonna do nothing. We'll look into it." Punk nodded as AJ looked at him.

"I gotta go see my dad." AJ said, "He'll tell me. I'll make him tell me where she is."

"April." Punk said with concern, "C'mon, really? Your dad? I know if you go into a room with him you'll just beat him to death or something."

"No, I want him alive and suffering, I told you that." AJ said seriously, "I'm not afraid of him. I was afraid of what I went through. I don't know who he is. He's a stranger to me." She said, "But he could give me answers." She said as Punk looked at her.

"Fine but I'm going with you." Punk said as AJ just nodded.

"Ok." AJ said. She was nothing but determined. She hadn't even thought about what it would feel like to see the man who exchanged her for money. The man who was supposed to be her fiercest protector.

* * *

"You ok?" Punk asked the next day as they walked into the nursing home.

"I'm fine." AJ shrugged, unconvinced as Punk just placed his arm around her, kissing her head as they walked up to the welcome desk. She was fine up until she walked into the doors.

"Hey, can I help you both?" The woman smiled.

Punk turned to AJ who he saw had gone speechless, like she was afraid to ask for the name.

"We're looking for Stan Mendez." Punk said, "He's a resident here?" Punk questioned as the woman nodded.

"Yeah, he is." The woman nodded, "Mr Mendez is very poorly, he's been going downhill for quite some time now. You can still visit but he's in bed. Quite unresponsive." She said, "Can I ask who you both are?" She asked.

"An uncle." Punk said briefly, showing his ID as the woman nodded.

"Ok, come with me." She nodded, walking out of the desk and heading on through the doors as Punk and AJ followed.

"We can turn back." Punk told AJ quietly as she just shook her head. He knew she was just interested in answers.

"He's just in this room here. Don't worry about the oxygen tubes. He's been having trouble breathing recently." She said as Punk and AJ nodded, "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks." Punk nodded to her, watching as AJ pushed the door to the room open, pausing at the doorway as she looked on at the man in the bed. He was pretty much just a skeleton sleeping, so small and weak. And yet, neither of them felt anything.

"You ok?" Punk asked her as AJ nodded, walking further into the room as AJ looked at the man. She was calm yet her insides were screaming. Screaming for answers.

"I hope he is in so much pain." AJ shook her head.

"Cancer is in his bones. He's gotta be." Punk nodded to her enjoyment as she sat down on the chair by the bed, Punk sitting closely beside.

AJ looked at him, "Wake him up. I'm not touching him." AJ said as Punk looked at her.

Punk nodded, not too thrilled about touching him either, but shaking him by the wrist as they watched the man open his eyes. Like the woman had said, he was barely alive, just lingering on in pain, so the chances of a sane response wasn't likely.

AJ watched him open his eyes, lifting his head and looking at her as she stared at him.

"N-Nurse?" Stan tried to reach for the bleeper which AJ grabbed and held in her hands.

"Do you know who I am?" AJ asked as Stan had to lean his head back down, his eyes still on them, not being able to move his body at all. He shook his head as obviously, he wasn't aware who they were.

"April." AJ said, "Your daughter." She said as Stan looked at her, "Who you sold." AJ reminded him, trying her best to keep herself together.

"N-No." Stan shook his head as AJ nodded.

"Yes." AJ nodded, "I bet you thought I'd died. Drug overdose. Raped too much. Beaten to death. I guess there was a lot of options for you to consider. Must have been nice." She nodded as Stan looked at her, "But I'm here, and it looks like you're getting exactly what you deserve." She nodded.

Punk looked at the man who just seemed to be listening. He wasn't in any fit state to have a conversation of much, but even in such a poorly state, it was hard not to want to rip his head off.

"Did you just turn a blind eye to it?" AJ wondered, "Is that how you dealt with it? Or did you just hate me for some reason that you wanted to hurt me? A six year old." She said, "I didn't have friends. I didn't get to go to school like normal kids. I didn't know what it felt like to be loved or cared about." She said, "I'm not here to give you my life story anymore but I got out. Damage had been done. But I still got out in good time. Before I got addicted to drugs or I gave birth at fourteen. I got out." She said as he just looked at her, "But you did that to me. You." She said, her voice crackling with anger as she tried to keep calm.

Punk placed a hand on her leg, to keep her calm as she took a deep breath.

"But it wasn't just me." AJ said, "No. You guys had another kid after me, probably with the intention to get more money, because I guess I sold off pretty well." She nodded, "Coleen." She said as Stan looked at her, "My sister."

"N-No." Stan grumbled.

"Yes." AJ said, "My sister who you did the exact same thing to." AJ nodded, "And she's still out there. So you're gonna string a few sentences together for me, and you're gonna tell me who you sold her to and where, and then you can continue to be in pain for as long as possible I hope, and die alone, unloved, uncared for… and I'll be with my family." She nodded, "I'll be with my sister." She said, "So tell me where she went?" AJ stood up, looking down on the very ill man as Punk watched, "Tell me." AJ said calmly.

"You." Stan coughed as AJ looked on in disgust, "Same." He murmured.

"Same place as you." Punk nodded as AJ looked at him and nodded, grabbing the oxygen tube so that none could get to him as he began to gasp a little.

"When I find her, don't worry, I'll tell her what a piece of a shit you and mom were." She said as he began to gasp for air as AJ watched him. She desperately wanted to watch the life suck from his body but it was too good for him.

She let go of the tube as Stan got the oxygen again. She turned around to Punk and nodded as he stood up, letting her go first as they left the room.

"You ok?" Punk asked her, noticing her eyes filling up, as if she'd been holding it in the entire time they were in the room.

She nodded, her lip quivering a little, "I'm gonna cry a lot when I get into the car." She informed him bravely as he wrapped his arm around her, leaving the home as quickly as they could.


	38. Found

**Found**

* * *

"I'm a mess." AJ cried, trying to dry her tears as she sat in the car with Punk outside the nursing home. Punk had never seen her cry so much and it was horrible to see, all he could do was wrap an arm around her and tell her it would be ok.

"You're allowed to be." Punk nodded.

"I can't believe I… I just saw my dad." She shook her head, taking a tissue from her purse, trying to keep her tears at bay but they kept coming. She had these images of what she thought her mother and father would like, just so she could hate them, and she wasn't sure if seeing her father in the flesh had made things better or worse for herself.

"At least we know where your sister could be." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I assumed it would be the same place as me. They must have got good money." She rolled her eyes, "So we have to go to Russia." She nodded as Punk looked at her.

"Why don't you let me go to Russia and you… you stay here." Punk nodded, "I don't want you stressed out. It's not good for the baby."

"I'm coming with you." AJ shook her head, "I know where everything is. I know where she could be. I'll be more stressed sitting here waiting than I will if I go, trust me." AJ nodded as Punk looked at her, "I'm going." She told him as Punk just nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded, "When?" He asked her.

"As soon as possible." AJ nodded, "We… we'll need to be prepared to, get her off any drugs, get her out of Russia. We can't afford to fail at getting her out." She shook her head.

"Are you sure you can go back to that place?" Punk sighed.

"This is my sister. And she's going through what I went through." AJ shook her head, "I can't… I can't do nothing. I have to do this." She said as Punk nodded.

"I'll call Seth and ask him to see if he can find anything on her. Make it a bit easier to locate her." Punk said.

"I know all the places she could be." AJ nodded, "Unfortunately I can't forget it." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"We'll leave soon. We'll find her." He said as AJ nodded.

"Ok, can we get out of here." AJ nodded, "I never want to come back."

* * *

"I did not think we'd be back here." Punk admitted, walking along the street with AJ in Moscow a few days later.

"Me neither." AJ nodded, "I'm not sure the best way to go about this. I was thinking you go in… as a customer and-"

"What?" Punk turned to her, "No way." Punk shook his head.

"Well obviously it's not real." AJ said, "You just ask for Coleen and go to her-"

"I can't… walk by all those other girls and do nothing." Punk said, "Don't make me go in."

"Well what else are we supposed to do? I can't go in." AJ said, "You're not gonna see anyone else. It's a let out apartment block. Each girl has a room. If you ask for Coleen, describe her, they'll take you to her and it's just her." She nodded as Punk ran his hand through his hair.

"How am I supposed to know it's her?" Punk asked, "Could be someone completely different." He said.

"Well Seth got a picture of her from a few years ago." AJ said, taking the picture out of her purse, "You'll know when you see her." She nodded as Punk looked at the picture.

"I just walk in?" Punk shook his head, "To the state the obvious, I've never done something like this before."

"I know… I know, I'm sorry but it has to be you." She nodded, "You just walk in, don't act suspicious. They're just interested in your money anyway. They don't care." She said as Punk nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, "How am I supposed to leave knowing there's so many other girls there?" He shook his head, having a hard time dealing with it as AJ nodded.

"I know, those people will get what's coming to them." AJ nodded, "We just have to focus on Coleen right now." She said as Punk nodded, "Ok, see that apartment block down there?" AJ pointed as Punk nodded, "Walk around that, it's behind, go in the side door, it's blue. And go from there." AJ said, "Call me if there's anything going wrong." She nodded, "And be careful."

"Ok. Where are you going?" Punk asked her.

"I'm gonna go into this café." She pointed across the road as Punk nodded, "Text when you're on your way out. There's a fire door at the back, climb down the escape and come out the other end." She said as Punk nodded.

"Wouldn't more girls escape?" Punk questioned as AJ looked at him.

"They're on drugs and… they're busy." AJ looked at him as he shook his head.

"Right." Punk took a deep breath, "Ok." He nodded, "I'll be fine." He said, leaning down and kissing her softly as she then anxiously watched him walk away.

Punk headed down the street and took AJ's directions around the apartment block, going in from behind as he saw the blue door she was talking about. Even though he knew he wasn't doing this for real, he felt disgusted with himself, and couldn't imagine ever doing something like this. He wasn't sure how anyone in their right mind could come here and pay to hurt young girls.

He walked into the door, trying his best to not act like a member of CIA, watching as a man walked down from the side.

"Money?" He asked as Punk looked at him and nodded, passing money over to him.

"You got someone called Coleen here?" Punk asked whilst the man counted the money, looking up at him.

"Mhm." The man nodded, "No requests." He told Punk firmly as Punk looked at him, "This way." He said as Punk shook his head. He couldn't back out now, he guessed he just had to find her himself.

He followed the man upstairs through the apartment block with many rooms, watching as he opened one which Punk looked in, walking forward as the door was closed behind him.

He looked over at the young girl lying in bed, dirty needles on the floor, the window padlocked shut. He watched as she noticed him and began to push her underwear down.

"No… no no…" Punk shook his head, walking over to her and stopping her, watching her grab onto him, barely moving much from being drugged up so much, "No, it's ok." He nodded, placing her hands by her side.

He looked around for some clothes but he couldn't see any, so he pulled the thin sheets over her and took the picture of Coleen out of his pocket. He felt terrible for asking but he didn't have a choice, "Do you know this girl?" Punk asked her as the girl looked at him, "This girl here." He pointed to the picture as the girl looked at it and nodded, "You do?" Punk asked as she nodded.

"Next… next door." The girl nodded as Punk raised his eyebrows.

Punk nodded and walked to the door. He didn't want to come into a place like this because he knew he couldn't help these girls, not all of them. That's what was so sickening about it, and it was so hard to walk out the door and do nothing. He tried not to think about it.

He opened up the door slowly, sticking his head out and looking at the empty corridor, closing the door over behind him and walking along, opening up the next door and walking in as he saw a dark haired girl lying on her side, a handcuff around her wrist attached to the bed post.

He closed the door over behind him and walked on into the room, walking around the bed where he saw her face, looking at the picture and seeing the similarity immediately. The scary thing was, she looked a lot like AJ.

She was out cold sleeping so he tried to find a way to get the handcuffs from her. He unhooked the bed post and twisted the part of the handcuff down the pole until it freed her hand from the bed, the handcuff just dangling from her wrist.

At this point she had woken up and was staring at him.

"No more…" Coleen shook her head as Punk looked at her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." Punk assured her, "I'm getting you out of here."

She looked at him, shaking her head, barely conscious as punk helped her up. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, getting her to her feet as she just collapsed against him. He only assumed that she hadn't walked in a long time.

"Ok, this way." Punk nodded, guiding her out of the room, looking up and down the corridor as he headed to the back where AJ had told him. He was trying not to think about the fact his wife had spent time in this place.

He walked to the back of the fire escape as Coleen leaned against him, barely having legs that functioned properly, doing his best to get her out of the building.

Meanwhile AJ was sat outside at the café, looking down the road at where Punk was supposed to come from. She was nervous about the whole thing. Nervous about Punk's safety, but also if her sister was even in there. She knew what it was like, how you could be transferred around, she knew there was a chance she might not have been in there.

But then she saw Punk around the corner of the block, carrying a girl.

She immediately got up from the chair and headed across to him as he nodded to her. She could have burst into tears right there and then. She couldn't explain how someone she didn't know meant so much to her, but she did. To know she had another family member out there who went through exactly what she had, and to be able to get her out of it.

She ran across the road and over to Punk, looking on at the girl who was pretty unconscious.

"We need to get her back to the hotel and away from here." Punk nodded, "She needs to be on a drip." Punk said, lifting the blanket up a little and showing her the needle marks in her arms as AJ nodded.

* * *

"When do you think she'll wake up?" AJ asked, later on, looking on as Punk hooked Coleen up to a drip. They'd came prepared with a lot medical stuff that they assumed Coleen might need. They had a make shift hospital bed all set up for her in the hotel, but she was still pretty much out of it.

"Just give it the night." Punk nodded to her.

"She looks dirty." AJ shook her head, looking on at the girl who appeared to literally have dirt on her. She just couldn't understand how anyone could treat someone this way. It brought back all of the horrible memories she had of her own experiences.

"When she's better she can shower, get into clean clothes." Punk nodded, taking out an injection as AJ watched him stick it in her.

"How'd you know how to do all of this?" AJ asked him.

"They teach you it at the CIA." Punk nodded, "Not my first time dealing with human trafficking believe it or not." He sighed as AJ nodded, "It'll clear out her system." He said whilst grabbing some anti-bacterial solution to wipe the creases of her arms which had needle marks.

"Are you ok?" AJ asked him, noticing he was a little quiet.

"Yeah." Punk nodded calmly, "Wish we could have done this for all of them." He shook is head as AJ nodded.

"Me too." AJ said, "I can't believe it's her." She shook her head, taking a seat and looking on at her little sister. It was such a weird feeling, "Do you think she'll be ok?" AJ asked as Punk nodded to her.

"Yeah, I think she's gonna be ok." Punk nodded with a small smile as AJ nodded, watching in silence as Punk continued to clean her arms, making sure she was getting enough fluids. It was a miracle to have found her.


	39. No Trust

**No Trust**

* * *

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" AJ folded her arms, sitting down on the small couch in the hotel room beside Punk after she had sat down by the bed which Coleen was still sleeping in.

"Probably the first good, proper sleep she's had since-"

"She was six." AJ nodded, "I wish I knew sooner." She shook her head, "Maybe her life could be different."

"Hey, you can't blame yourself." Punk said, "She's safe with us now." He nodded as AJ looked over to her sister, sleeping and consuming all of the fluids and medication which she'd thankfully been given.

"I'm sorry you had to do it." AJ turned back to Punk, "You must have saw… a lot." She nodded.

"I've worked with the CIA for years. I've saw my fair share of bad things." Punk nodded to her, "Doesn't get easier, I suppose. It's gotta be one of the worst things in the world, right? Exploiting children. Teenage girls. It's just not right." He shook his head, "Makes me feel like I have a daughter I'll have to… I don't know, put a GPS on her."

"She'd hate you." AJ laughed a little.

"But she'd be safe." Punk shrugged as AJ looked at him and nodded.

"She'd be lucky to have you." AJ nodded as Punk smiled.

"You too." Punk said, reaching his hand over and rubbing her bump softly as she smiled, placing her hand over his and sighing.

"I wonder if she went through the same thing I did." AJ said, "Or if… if it's different." AJ shook her head, "Not something you exactly want to bond over but maybe if she knows I've been through it too, she might not feel as scared." AJ nodded.

"She's gonna be scared either way. Relieved but scared." Punk nodded, "I mean think about how alienated you felt when you got out, when you went to the orphanage." He said, "It's gonna take her some time. But we'll be here." He said as AJ nodded.

"Do you think they'll come looking for her once they realise she's gone?" AJ asked him as Punk shook his head.

"As upsetting as it is… they'll just replace her. It's how… it's how it works, right?" He shook his head as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." AJ said, "Where was she? In a room?" AJ questioned. It was extra hard for her as it brought back memories of her childhood and what she went through. Being locked in rooms. Not being fed. Being chained to things. It was a living nightmare.

"I asked for her and the guy said no requests. I got put in a room with some girl. She was out of her face just… laid there." Punk shook his head, running his hands over his face as AJ looked at him, "I asked her, brought the picture of Coleen out and she said she was next door. I guess that was lucky." He said, "Leaving that girl was the worst thing ever. I felt evil."

"You're not evil." AJ shook her head, "Those people they will get everything they deserve. You couldn't go into every room and save every girl." AJ reminded him as he just nodded. She knew it would make him feel this way.

"I went next door and she was there." Punk nodded, "She had a handcuff attached to the bed post so I had to unscrew the bed to get it through. I just got her on her feet, put a blanket around her and left." He said as AJ nodded.

"Thank you." AJ said as he looked at her.

"You don't have to thank me." Punk shook his head.

"I do." AJ said, "You're brave, and you're supporting me with this. You could have just told me to forget about it." She said.

"I would never do that." Punk assured her as she nodded and smiled, leaning over and kissing him softly. They broke apart when they began to hear movement over by the bed.

AJ immediately stood up and walked over, watching as Coleen began to open her eyes, looking around the room in panic. She looked at her arm which had a drip in it and immediately tried to pull it off.

"Hey, hey… no." Punk walked over, taking her hand away, "It's ok. It's there to help you." Punk assured her as Coleen looked up at him, looking past him and over to AJ.

"Who… Who are you?" Coleen asked. She was pretty much the same build as AJ, a little bit taller perhaps. She had the same features, dark hair and eyes, caramel skin which was bruised and dirty.

Punk turned to AJ as he felt it was appropriate she explained more than him, but AJ looked completely starstruck as she looked on at her sister, so he took over.

"I'm Phil." Punk nodded, "This is April." He nodded to AJ, "We're not gonna hurt you. I promise." Punk assured her. He felt it was important that he mentioned that first, "We're here to help you." He said.

"W-Why?" Coleen shook her head. Even just the sight of another female who looked sane and clean and not abused like her, it was almost like it was hope already.

"I'm your sister." AJ said, looking across at her as Coleen looked at her, "I uh… I know what you've been through. I… I was there too." She nodded, "I'm older, obviously." She rolled her eyes, "Our parents they… they sold me when I was six. I came here and I was moved around into different trafficking camps. I was in the one you were just in there for a little bit." She said, "I got out when I was fourteen. Jumped out of a car, I didn't even care if I died or not. I just couldn't do it anymore." She said, "I was homeless for some time and then I was picked up by an orphanage. Lived the rest of my life there until I could leave." She said, "I didn't know that you existed until a week ago."

"You're… you're my sister?" Coleen shook her head as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded.

"How did you… how did you find me?" Coleen shook her head with confusion, trying to take all of the information in. She was still drowsy, tired, sore and going through terrible withdrawal pains, but she was conscious enough to digest what she was being told.

"My husband and I, we work with the CIA." AJ said as Coleen looked at Punk who nodded to her, "I was looking into my parents, just to see where they were. It was the first time I'd looked into them ever." She said, "And I found out you existed." She nodded as Coleen rolled her head back on the pillow.

"This is crazy." Coleen shook her head as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Tell me about it." AJ nodded.

"Where… Where are you from? Where do you live?" Coleen asked.

"We live in Chicago." AJ said as Coleen nodded, "But I lived here in Moscow for a long time." AJ said as Coleen nodded.

"My head is so sore." Coleen sighed as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, that'll be the withdrawals." Punk said, "Any idea what they were giving you?" He asked her, opening the medicine bag back up.

"No idea." Coleen shook her head, a croak to her voice. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had conversation with people, "They normally just come in and stick the needle in." She said as AJ nodded.

"How long were you at that camp?" AJ asked her whilst Punk topped her up on medicine.

"I don't know. I can't remember." She said, "Are you pregnant?" She wondered as AJ looked over to Punk.

"Uh yeah." AJ smiled.

"That's nice." Coleen whispered, feeling the medication start to kick in already as she rolled her head back on the pillow, "I'm so tired." She moaned a little as AJ nodded.

"You get some sleep." AJ said, walking over to her, sitting down by her bed, "We have all the time to talk." She said as Coleen tilted her head to the side and looked at her, "I'm just so glad I found you."

"Me too." Coleen nodded with relief as AJ smiled.

"Get some sleep." AJ nodded.

It was clear the young girl was still completely out of it. They weren't even sure if she was digesting anything they were saying. After going through so much for so long, to be in a normal setting, with no one trying to hurt her, it was like she was agitated and disorientated.

"Let her sleep." Punk nodded to AJ who sat and watched Coleen fall asleep again, "We could do with some sleep of our own." He said as AJ nodded, standing up and walking over to him as he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her head.

* * *

Later on that night, Punk and AJ were asleep on the couch as they had set the bed up for Coleen but neither minded. They were comfortable enough and AJ was pretty much using Punk as a mattress anyway.

They were both in a deep sleep after a long day, when they were woken up by the sound of a gun loading, both of their eyes opening as they saw the gun pointed in their direction, held by Coleen who was standing over them.

"W-What are you doing?" AJ shook her head, trying to regain her senses as she sat up whilst Punk followed.

"Stay where you are." Coleen said, keeping the gun pointed at them in her shaking hands as AJ looked at her.

"Just put the gun down." AJ said, "We-We're not gonna hurt you."

"I don't even know who you are. You think I'm going to trust you?" Coleen shook her head, paranoia setting in as AJ looked over at her. She put herself in her shoes and realised that if someone had taken her to a hotel room when she was younger, she would have immediately thought it was just another trade.

"I know you're scared." AJ nodded.

"You know nothing!" Coleen shouted.

"Ok just calm down." Punk stood up as Coleen pointed the gun at him.

"Do not come near me." Coleen warned him as Punk put his hands up, "I don't know who you two are." She said frantically, "Or what you want." She said.

"We don't want anything." AJ said, "Coleen, I'm your sister. I'm not going to hurt you." She shook her head as Coleen held her finger over the trigger, looking at them both, not believing them or trusting them at all…


	40. Building Trust

**Building Trust**

* * *

"Put the gun down." Punk said, getting anxious as he watched Coleen point his gun at AJ. They couldn't afford for any accidents to happen, "Please." Punk nodded as Coleen looked at him.

"Hey, look at me." AJ nodded as Coleen turned back to her, "I know how you're feeling. I know." She said, "I know that it's in your instinct to protect yourself before even thinking about trusting anyone." She said, "I've been there. I still don't trust people because of what happened to me." She nodded, "You feel worthless. Like you mean nothing to no one." AJ nodded as Punk looked on, "And when your back is against the wall you fight, and you don't stop, because surviving is the only thing you can focus on." She nodded as Coleen looked at her, "I know the feeling."

"You don't." Coleen's voice broke. She was understandably very broken and terrified.

"I do." AJ nodded, "I didn't get to go to school or have normal friends. I'd spend Christmas mornings being paid for by some stranger who was twenty, thirty, maybe even forty years older than me. I didn't know my birthday until I got out." She said, "And the sad thing is… you start to get used to it. You find ways to block it all out. I would lay there and just imagine myself one day being free. Being happy." AJ said, "And I got there. I got to that place. You can too." AJ nodded, reaching over and lowering the gun in her hand, taking it from her and passing it back to Punk, "I can help you." She nodded, placing her hands on Coleen's shoulder.

Coleen broke down, bursting into tears as AJ pulled her in, getting to embrace her sister for the first time as she wrapped her arms around her tightly, rubbing her back in soft circles as Punk excused himself to go put his gun away.

"It's going to be ok." AJ nodded softly, "We're not gonna hurt you. I promise you." AJ nodded as Coleen cried in her arms.

AJ looked over to Punk who sighed as he watched.

"I just don't understand how I can… have a sister." Coleen shook her head, drying her tears as AJ smiled.

"Me neither." AJ smiled, "And we have a lot to learn about each other, but I promise you… I'm gonna take care of you. You can come home with us to Chicago. Unfortunately we don't have a spare bed but there's a couch."

"I can sleep on the couch." Punk nodded to them as Coleen looked over.

"You're so nice. Both of you." Coleen said, "That's why I was suspicious. I didn't know if you guys were just playing me." She said, "But you've really been through this, haven't you?" She asked AJ who nodded. Coleen could sense in AJ's tone and with what she said that she really was who she said she was.

"You must be hungry." AJ said, "Right?"

"Yeah, a little." Coleen nodded.

"I'll go out and get some food." Punk nodded to them as AJ turned and smiled to him, "I won't be long." He said, grabbing his wallet and leaving the room as AJ turned back to Coleen.

"He's nice." Coleen nodded as AJ smiled.

"Yeah, it's rare." AJ nodded, "Have a seat." She told her, sitting down with her on the couch, sharing the blanket with her whilst sitting at opposite ends of the couch.

"I'm sorry I just pulled a gun out on you." Coleen shook her head, placing her hand on her forehead, "My head is all over the place. I don't think I've went this long without being injected with something or… being touched by someone." She shook her head as AJ nodded.

"I get it." AJ said, "I can forgive you." She nodded as Coleen looked across at her.

"I just can't believe I'm out." Coleen shook her head, "It's all I've known."

"Takes some time to get used to it." AJ nodded, "I feel like it was just yesterday that I was out and trying to… piece a life together for myself." She said, "Didn't really work out well for me." She said as Coleen looked across at her.

"What happened?" She asked as AJ looked across at her. It was too much to explain in the one sitting, and way too much for Coleen to take in on the first night.

"I just took a wrong turn." AJ nodded.

"Well that's understandable." Coleen raised her eyebrows, "Why would our parents do this?" She shook her head.

"Because they're evil." AJ shrugged, "No other explanation in my mind." She said as Coleen nodded.

"My head is so sore." Coleen sighed, resting the side of her head against the couch. It was clear she was still very much out of it. One could only expect it after the drugs she had endured and the life she'd lived so far.

"You can try eat something and just get back to sleep." AJ nodded, "It's the best thing for you. I slept for weeks on end when I escaped." AJ said as Coleen nodded.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to the feeling of being out." Coleen admitted as AJ nodded.

"You will. It'll come." AJ nodded to her. It was obvious she was finding it difficult to trust and to be convinced of AJ's plea to help her. AJ knew what it felt like to feel incapable of trusting after going through something so traumatic. The gun incident in AJ's opinion was normal.

* * *

Punk returned with some food which Coleen could barely stomach. She then got back into bed. Punk gave her more medication and she was out like a light again. AJ knew she'd just be sleeping on and off for at least a few weeks.

"Pulling a gun out on us? Definitely your sister." Punk said, lying back down on the couch where AJ lay with him in his arms.

"Hey." AJ shoved him a little as Punk just smiled.

"I'm just saying. You both are pretty similar. I can already tell." He said. He could see that Coleen was a fighter, not afraid to scrap back, not afraid to fight for herself, and she definitely shared those traits with AJ.

"She's messed up right now." AJ nodded.

"It's understandable." Punk said.

"Yeah." AJ said, "It definitely is." She nodded, if there was anyone who could understand it was her, "She's not gonna trust us overnight. I should have known that." She nodded, "But we're taking her home and I'm… I'm taking care of her. I owe her that."

"April, you don't owe her anything. You didn't know she existed." Punk reminded her, "Please don't feel bad about this."

"Well I do." AJ said, "I should have looked into it before, maybe then I could have saved her earlier." She said.

"What's done is done. Main thing is she's out now and you're right, we can take her home and we can help her. That's the most important thing, right?" He said.

"Of course." AJ nodded, "I'm sorry I've sprung all of this on you."

"Stop apologising to me. I want you to get to know her. I want to help her too. No one should have to go through what you and her had to." He said, "Makes me so mad." He shook his head as AJ nodded.

"Me too." AJ said, "I just want to give her the chance and be there for her. She's my little sister." She shook her head, still not believing it.

"I'd do the same." Punk nodded, "I just hope it's not stressing you out too much."

"Actually it's giving me something to focus on." AJ admitted, "I just want to get her out of here." She shook her head.

"Are you gonna tell her about everything?" He asked as she looked up at him, "You know what I'm talking about?"

"Oh, how her sister is a murderer? I'm holding back just now." AJ said sarcastically as Punk tutted.

"You're not-"

"Phil, yes I am." AJ said, "You don't have to defend me just because I'm your wife."

"I'll defend you every time." Punk said, "You were forced into things. Your ex deserved it. So did Eugene." He nodded, "I'm not condemning murder but… you've been through a lot." He nodded, "I would never hold any of that against you."

"I know you wouldn't." AJ said, "I just wanna focus on getting her to Chicago and helping her settle. It's gonna take a while." She nodded, "All the… horrible secrets I have can come out later." She nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, kissing her head.

"She probably thinks I'm some hero working for the CIA, having turned my life around." AJ shook her head, "She doesn't even know the half of it." She said.

"It'll take time. You know that." Punk said as AJ nodded, "Trust is the most important thing right now."

"Definitely." AJ nodded, "Woah…" AJ sat up suddenly as Punk looked at her as she pressed her hands on her bump.

"What is it?" Punk shook his head.

"I think it's kicking." AJ smiled to him, taking his hand and placing it over her bump as Punk raised his eyebrows, feeling the baby kick, "Oh my God." AJ shook her head. It was the weirdest but most wonderful feeling in the world and she was so glad they were experiencing it together.

"That's crazy." Punk smiled as AJ nodded.

"Feels so weird." She whispered as Punk smiled, "I think I kinda like it." She admitted truthfully. It was the first time she'd felt the real presence of their baby. For a while she was worrying about not being focused on their child, she was too scared to admit that she didn't feel very connected the way she assumed she was supposed to feel, but feeling the baby kick for the first time was magical and she had butterflies.

"It's weird." Punk laughed a little, keeping his hand on her tummy as the kicks seemed to calm down a little.

"I can't wait to meet it." AJ shook her head as Punk smiled.

"You're gonna be good." Punk nodded. He didn't doubt it for a second.

"You think so?" AJ asked him, unsure.

"I know it." He smiled, pulling her over into him between his legs, kissing her softly as she leaned against him and melted into the kiss. Being supported by him was truly one of the best things in the world.


	41. Digging

**Digging**

* * *

"Phil." AJ whispered, lying in bed as she looked on at her sleeping husband, "Phil." She nudged him as he grumbled.

"What?" Punk asked, his face pressed against the pillow, drooling and snoring in a peaceful sleep until AJ had woken him, "Five more minutes." He mumbled, thinking it was time for him to get up, but it was still through the night.

"I really want a meatball sub." AJ said as Punk opened one eye and looked at her.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"I just… the bread and the sauce… the meat… the cheese." AJ rolled her head back on the pillow as Punk looked at her, wondering if he was in a dream, very confused by what was going on.

"What-What time is it?" Punk turned his head around, looking at the clock on the night stand and shaking his head, "April it's 2am."

"Your baby really wants a meatball sub." AJ sighed, "Do it for your baby." She nodded as Punk looked at her.

"Well it needs to learn it can't always get what it wants." Punk said as AJ looked at him.

"I'll give you anything you want." AJ said, wrapping her leg around him, shuffling closer to him as Punk looked at her.

"Some sleep would be nice." Punk nodded, "We went in the shower for an hour earlier."

"And?" AJ shook her head with confusion, "Can't take it?" She smirked.

"No." Punk said loudly, "I just want to sleep as much as I can so that when the baby comes I can remember how lovely it was to sleep in silence."

"Hey, mister." AJ said, taking his chin with her thumb and forefinger as he looked at her, "I have back pain, I pee a lot, I'm gonna get bigger and then go through child birth." She said as he gulped, "All your ass has to do is go get a meatball sub. I'm sure you're more than capable." She nodded as Punk looked at her, "Sweetheart." She caressed his cheek as Punk rolled his eyes.

"The things I do for you." Punk huffed like a child, getting out of the bed as AJ smiled and relaxed back in bed.

"You're doing it for the baba. Think of him or her." AJ smiled, rubbing her tummy softly as Punk just waved his hand, tiredly shoving on some basketball shorts and a t-shirt, "You aren't going to fix your hair." AJ made a nervous face as she watched Punk head for the door, his hair all over the place, not slicked back like it usually was.

"Do you want this sub or not?" Punk turned back to her as she smiled and nodded.

"Yes, go on." AJ nodded as Punk left the bedroom and headed downstairs.

He got to the bottom of the stairs and realised his wallet was in in the living room where AJ's sister was currently staying with them. He tip toed in quietly but saw she was awake watching the TV down low.

They'd been in Chicago for a month and Coleen was trying her best to get better, gain more energy and get to know AJ and Punk. She didn't trust them yet. She didn't trust anyone but she was accepting the help, and being AJ's sister seemed legit. She saw all the paper work which AJ had shown her.

"Hey." Coleen looked over as Punk took his wallet from the coffee table.

"Hi." Punk nodded, "You ok?" He asked her as Coleen nodded.

"Yeah, you?" She asked him, "You going somewhere?" She shook her head.

"AJ wants a meatball sub. Well… the baby wants one." Punk nodded. Once AJ had hit six months pregnant, she'd been having a lot of cravings. They're house had become a snack shop and he was always woken up at 4am to the sound of her eating something crunch. He forgave her since she was carrying his child of course.

"Of course." Coleen smiled. She'd gotten to know them both pretty well even just in the month they'd known one another, but she was still trying to figure out how to suddenly live a normal life after years of being unstable.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked her.

"Oh, no. I'm fine." Coleen nodded, "I'm just watching… a baking show." She smiled as he looked over and nodded. She was obsessed with the TV. It was all she did all day but AJ and Punk knew it was because she'd never know a TV. She'd never known sleeping peacefully. Having proper meals.

"April likes that show." Punk recognised it as Coleen smiled, "Well I won't be long. Don't get a fright when I come back."

"Are you going out with your hair like that?" Coleen questioned as Punk put his hands on his hips and looked at her. She was a lot like AJ in many many ways.

"Yes I am." Punk said as Coleen nodded.

"You do you." Coleen said as Punk nodded, nudging her leg out the way as he walked by her, causing her to smile as he left the house.

Meanwhile AJ had gotten out of bed and had come downstairs, walking into the living room where she saw her nineteen year old little sister sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Why are you up?" AJ asked curiously, placing her hand on her bump as she sat down on the couch beside her.

"Can't sleep." Coleen said, "Usual." She shrugged as AJ nodded, "I hear you need a meatball sub." She said as AJ nodded.

"Desperately." AJ said.

"Not many men would get out of bed at this time to get their wife anything let alone a sub." Coleen laughed as AJ smiled.

"Not all men are evil." AJ nodded as Coleen looked at her, "I used to think it too. Why would we think they're good when we've not saw any, right? It wasn't until I met Phil that I… I realised that the world isn't completely evil. Not yet anyway." She shook her head.

"You've been free for a lot longer than I have." Coleen said, "You have a husband. A job. A baby coming. I'm not quite there yet as you can see." She nodded.

"All of that doesn't mean I forget everything that happened to me. Even after being trafficked." She said as Coleen looked at her.

"What happened after?" Coleen asked as AJ looked at her.

AJ hadn't been completely honest yet with Coleen. She hadn't told her about what happened to her ex boyfriend, or going to prison, or the fact she was an assassin for Russian Intelligence. It seemed too much to take in and she just wanted her sister to gain some form of normality first.

"Just… trying to live a life when I… I'd had all of my childhood taken from me." AJ covered up, "I know how you're feeling, don't forget that." AJ nodded to her. She knew the most important thing was for Coleen to be able to talk to her.

"I'm glad you understand it." Coleen nodded, "It's nothing something I'd wish upon anyone. It's not something I can describe either." She shook her head as AJ nodded.

"I know." AJ said, "You're doing good. I was… I was a mess when I got out. I was on the streets. Just hiding from the world, terrified in case someone would drag me back there." She shook her head, "Sometimes I still feel like that little girl." She nodded as Coleen looked at her.

"What am I supposed to do now, AJ?" Coleen asked, "I have a sister, and… I can't describe how great that is, and how much I appreciate this, what you're doing for me." She nodded, "But… I don't know how to live. I've spent years in bedrooms and confined spaces, moving around camps. I don't know anything. I don't know how to live. I've just laid on your couch watching these weird programmes for a month." She shook her head.

"Don't be so tough on yourself." AJ said. She was getting to say things that she wished someone had said to her back when she got out, "It's gonna take time and that's not you're fault." She nodded, "You will get there and you'll get to live your life and take it back." She nodded, "I'll help you. Every step of the way." She nodded, "I mean that's… that's what sisters do, right?" She shrugged as Coleen smiled and nodded.

"What if I can never… get used to it?" Coleen asked.

"You will. You're doing great so far. Betther than I was." AJ nodded, "Just be patient with yourself. Give yourself the time and I'll be here to help you." She said as Coleen nodded.

"You're gonna be a really good mom." Coleen nodded to herself as AJ raised her eyebrows and smiled softly.

"Thank you." AJ smiled to her, "Oh, I like this show." She noticed the TV as Coleen smiled.

* * *

"Is that all?" The man behind the counter asked Punk after he'd ordered.

"Yeah, man." Punk nodded, handing the cash over and waiting for his change.

"It'll be five minutes." He said as Punk nodded, taking his change and stepping back, leaning against the wall as he watched the subs being made. He was so tired as he had been working from home in the office they'd made, but he always wanted to make sure his wife and his baby were happy of course.

He stood in the empty shop, leaning against the wall and looking up at the TV on the wall. At this time of night, the only thing that was on was the news, and he picked up on them talking about Eugene being killed.

He stood up a little and looked over.

"Hey can you turn that up?" Punk asked the man behind the counter.

"Sure." The man nodded, turning the television up as Punk folded his arms, looking on at the news reporter giving information about Eugene's murder.

 _We know Russia's intelligence offices are being investigated as we speak, and we know that Mr Eugene Egorov's death is being treated as a homicide. Many sources claim that suspicious documents have been found in his residence back in Moscow, dating all the way back to deaths of his secretary and another worker. More on this story to come._

Punk rubbed his neck worriedly as he looked away from the TV.

"Hey, you're with CIA right?" The man behind the counter asked as Punk looked over at him and nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said worriedly, "Why?"

"Well what's your take on all of that going on?" He asked, "You think the Russians have something to hide?" He said as Punk just shrugged calmly.

"Nothing I'd know about. I'm CIA, not FBI." Punk nodded, "How we doing with those sandwiches?" Punk asked.

"Oh, yeah. Here." The man nodded, handing over the bag, "Enjoy." The man smiled as Punk nodded.

"Thank you." Punk said, taking the bag from him and leaving the sandwich shop to head home. There wasn't a time where he didn't worry about what happened with AJ and Eugene. He was worried someone was going to find something. Something that could ruin everything.


	42. Trapped

**Trapped**

* * *

"Can I talk to you in the kitchen?" Punk asked, sticking his head into the living room where AJ had been eating her sub with Coleen.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, getting off the couch and leaving the living room where Coleen was sat watching TV. She headed on into the kitchen with Punk, "What's up?" She shook her head, "I was just finishing there, we can go up to bed-"

"They're looking into things." Punk said, placing his hands on the kitchen counter as AJ looked over to him.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"Eugene." Punk said, "I saw on the news. They're looking into his files. What if… what if the nineteen group pops up, what if you pop up-"

"I thought we'd moved on from this." AJ sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"How can we move on when it's an ongoing investigation? It was supposed to be dropped after a few weeks but they're not letting it go." He said, "They're looking back into Harry and Adrien's death. What if… what if they trace it all back and it's you who they put all of this on?" He shook his head with worry.

"Phil, they're not gonna find anything." AJ said, "They'll find no DNA because I'm technically dead. And they had no real information on me. I was just their hit man basically." She said.

"And they could still piece it together." Punk said, "There are smart people in the CIA, and the FBI." He reminded her.

"I know there are." AJ said, "But I cover my tracks. This is isn't going to lead back to me. They'll come up at dead ends and they'll drop the investigation. Trust me." She said.

"How are you so sure?" Punk questioned. It was just his nature to protect and be concerned. She knew that.

"I done it for so long. Don't you think someone was always investigating something?" AJ asked, "I know how to hide evidence. As God awful as it sounds, I know what I was doing." AJ nodded, "You don't have to worry." She shook her head.

"Well I do." Punk shook his head, "I worry about the right things. This could get you in… not only trouble but… so much danger. People would want you dead if they found out what you've done. Do you understand me?"

"Why because I killed people who were bad? Who were shady undercover workers for the Russian government? Who would want me dead?" AJ shook her head.

"We know that but other people won't." Punk said, "And then what? I lose my wife. I lose my kid." Punk shook his head, "I'm trying to protect you."

"No, you're jumping to conclusions without anything actually happening. Of course it's gonna be on the news. Harry was on the news. Adrien was. Anyone in government who is killed is gonna be on the news but they're not gonna find anything." AJ said.

"And why is that?" Punk questioned as AJ looked over at him.

"Because when we were in Moscow, getting Coleen, when you went off to get her… I went into Eugene's house and I cleared everything." AJ said as Punk looked across at her.

"You're… you're fucking crazy." Punk groaned with exhaustion.

"Because I'm saving my own ass?" AJ asked, "He didn't live far. I went into the house, cleared out all the files he had which… weren't even that useful but still… I took them with me and that's it. No one is gonna know anything. You should be patting me on the back-"

"You shouldn't have went anywhere near it, April." Punk said, "You're six months pregnant."

"That doesn't mean I can't do things." AJ said, "It means you don't need to keep worrying. Every day I feel like I give you more to worry about and I hate that."

"Well maybe you should have just… not killed Eugene then." Punk shrugged as AJ looked across at him.

"You knew what would have happened if I didn't kill him." AJ looked across at him, "I'd be in prison for the rest of my life and… maybe your son or daughter would be in one of those camps chained to a bed. You're welcome!" She yelled.

He looked across at her, running his hand over his hair.

"My past isn't going away, Phil." AJ folded her arms, trying to calm herself down, "I thought you understood that. You knew it when you married me." She said.

"It's nothing to do with your past, it's about me trying to protect you and… not lose you." He shook his head as AJ looked across at him.

"You aren't gonna lose me. They're not gonna find anything." AJ shook her head, walking over to him, taking his hands in hers, "I took care of it. All the files he had on me, which weren't very useful anyway, I took them." She nodded as Punk looked at her, "Please don't doubt us and our future." She sighed.

"I'm not." Punk said, "I'm allowed to be worried about you." He said.

"I know you are and I love you for it." She nodded, "But I'm gonna be fine. We're gonna be fine." She said, reaching her hand up and cupping his cheek as he sighed and nodded. She wasn't sure if he'd always been a worrier or if it was something she'd unfortunately brought out in him, but something told her that the trauma of living in an orphanage, feeling unloved, it made him doubt so much and she hated that.

"I love you." AJ nodded, "And I'm never gonna leave." She said, "That is a promise." She nodded.

"I love you." Punk said as she reached up and kissed him softly. Fighting definitely wasn't the answer for them.

* * *

Two months later and Coleen was still living with Punk and AJ. She was finding it hard to get used to normal living. She didn't know anything about it. AJ was encouraging enough to get her out of the house. She'd take her shopping, show her around Chicago, make her feel at ease and get used to living life again.

AJ was eight months pregnant and was supporting a pretty big bump. Their baby was healthy according to her OB and AJ and Punk were starting to realise now that they really didn't have a lot of time left until their baby son or daughter was born.

"Finally the crib is built." Punk said, getting to his feet after moving the finishing touch into the nursery which was the crib, "Looks nice, huh?" He turned to AJ who was smiling and nodded.

"I love it." She shook her head, "It's so sweet." She said as Punk nodded.

"Only thing that's missing is the little guy." Punk smiled, crouching down and kissing her belly as AJ smiled.

"You don't know if it's a little guy." AJ reminded him.

"Well at least it's a fifty fifty chance." Punk shrugged as AJ nodded with a smile, watching him stand back up straight, "What is Coleen doing?" He asked her.

"She's been looking for jobs actually. She's on the computer downstairs." AJ nodded.

"Is she ready for that?" Punk asked her.

"She's doing pretty well for only being out three months. And for how young she is." AJ nodded, "I said that she can stay here for as long as she needs to. I'd rather her feel like she has a home first whilst she tries to… overcome all of these things. Having a safe place to stay is something she needs." AJ nodded, "That way she can focus on getting a job if that's what she wants."

"Yeah, of course." Punk nodded, "Extra person to do the night feeds, isn't it?" He smirked.

"Hey, no. This little baby is our responsibility, no one else's." AJ said.

"You're saying that now." Punk smiled.

"I'm really terrified." AJ admitted, sitting down on the chair in the corner beside the little bookstand which had a row of teddy bears sitting on top.

"You and me both." Punk laughed a little.

"No, I'm like… freaking out a little." AJ said as Punk looked over at her, "I mean this is it… this is our baby. I feel like I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I've never even held a baby before." She shook her head as Punk nodded and looked across at her.

"I'm sure there's tons of parents who have been in our position before." Punk said, "I think maybe the fact we don't have anyone to look up to is better because… we can be the parents we wanted." He nodded, "No one is gonna love that kid more than us." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. You're right." AJ nodded, rubbing her tummy softly.

"Hey, why don't you come with me to Virginia tomorrow? We can drive, make a little trip of it." He said, "I need to go there for some work that I'm doing."

"I don't know… maybe Coleen won't be ok here on her own." AJ said, "That does sound nice, though." She smiled to herself. The fact that soon enough it wouldn't just be the two of them anymore was terrifying.

"Well ask her." Punk shrugged, "Maybe having the house to herself could be a good thing. We'll only be gone a few days." He said, "I mean… she can come if she likes but-"

"And taint her with the CIA? No." AJ chuckled, "I'll talk to her." She nodded as he smiled, "Give me a hand. I can't get up." She struggled as Punk laughed a little, extending his hand and helping her up.

* * *

"I'm worried about her." AJ admitted, sitting in the passenger's side of the car as they drove in the car. They'd set off on their journey and stayed in at a hotel the previous night, and had set out for the last part of the journey in the morning. AJ couldn't stop thinking about Coleen.

"She'll be fine." Punk assured her, "She's got a good head on her shoulders. She's like you." He nodded with a smile.

"I know but if anything happened I'd never forgive myself." She said.

"She said to us she wouldn't mind having a few days on her own." Punk said, "She's been doing really good." He nodded, "Have some confidence in her." He smiled a little.

"I do." AJ nodded, "I don't know, I guess it's just weird. Going from only looking out for myself to having a husband, a little sister, a baby soon." AJ shook her head, "Didn't think it would be my life." She admitted.

"Well it is." He smiled as she nodded, "Get used to it." He nodded, watching at the corner of his eye as she seemed to be moving around an awful lot, "You ok?" He asked her.

"Yeah, the baby just feels like it's… positioned weird." She shook her head.

"You're not in pain, are you?" Punk asked worriedly.

"No. It's just uncomfortable. My OB said that's normal." AJ said.

"Well sometimes there's a thin line between uncomfortable and pain." Punk said, "Let me know if you're in any pain. We'll go straight to the hospital."

"I'm not." AJ smiled, "It's just pretty uncomfortable carrying another little human around with you." She nodded.

"I can imagine." He said, pulling up outside the CIA building, "Are you coming in to see everyone?" He asked her.

"Yeah, it'd be rude not to." AJ nodded, getting out of the car once they had parked, taking his hand as they walked into the building, showing their ID's and heading up in the elevator to the floor they would normally be working in.

There was new cases Punk had been working on at home, just emailing and calling the guys back and forth with it, but he had to hand something in in person to them.

They walked along the corridor, through the row of open offices and desks and into the room which they always worked in.

"Hey." Punk nodded to them as they all turned around.

"Hey." Eve smiled as Dean and Seth turned around and looked at them, "I didn't know you were coming." Eve said, looking over to AJ.

"Yeah we thought we'd make a trip of it. Before the baby gets here." She smiled.

"You've gotten so big." Eve smiled, fussing over AJ's bump whilst Punk headed over to the guys.

"Here are those files." He sat the folder down on the table as Dean took it and nodded.

"Thank you." Dean nodded as Punk looked at them both. They weren't acting their normal selves. They were normally thrilled to see him, acting crazy and jumping around, and he couldn't help feel he'd done something wrong.

"You guys ok?" Punk asked them whilst AJ looked over, noticing Dean and Seth not saying much.

"Why don't you ask your wife." Seth said as Punk looked at them with confusion.

"What?" AJ shook her head.

"We've been surveying Eugene Egorov's residence." Dean said, "We saw you make a trip inside. We had to tell everyone in the offices that… you were just investigating. But everyone in this room right now knows that isn't true, is it?" He asked her as AJ looked across at them.

"I told you to leave that alone. Leave it to the FBI." Punk gritted his teeth.

"It's a foreign affair we have to be involved." Dean said, "And then we all remembered that day, the day we he was found dead. You left work early." He looked across at AJ who rubbed her forehead.

"Dean." AJ sighed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean screwed his eyes up, "We've given you everything. Asylum practically. You're living a good life right now. Why would you ruin it by doing something like that?"

"Shut up." Punk spat, "I told you to stay out of all of this."

Seth looked up at Punk and tilted his head, "Did you know?" Seth questioned.

"Are you guys insinuating that AJ killed Eugene?" Eve asked.

"I did." AJ nodded calmly as Eve turned to her, "I was protecting myself. He was gonna take me back to Russia. Maybe he was gonna kill me or put me back in prison. I don't know. But I was defending myself."

"It's so hard to believe you." Dean said, "And you… I don't even know what your problem is." He stood up, looking at Punk who stared back, "You've became a bad agent. We hear about them all the time. Guys who lose their way. They don't know their right from wrong anymore." He said, "You. The last person I thought that would happen to. I was happy for you guys but I can't… I can't support this shit."

AJ looked at them all, feeling herself short of breath and light headed. Sometimes she felt like she'd ruined all of their lives. For so long things had been good. She even thought she had lifelong friends in all of them, but it was clear how they still felt about her.

"You're not going to say anything to anyone about this." Punk said, inching closer to Dean, their faces practically touching, "Do you understand me? She was protecting herself. She had no choice. And are we gonna pretend that the scumbag didn't deserve it?"

"Listen to yourself." Dean said, "You sound just as crazy as she does. Justifying this shit. It's not right." Dean said with stress.

"He was the one who brought all of this nineteen group thing to life. He was behind that. AJ protected herself. It could have been her dead instead of him so I'm glad she did what she did." Punk said, "Alright?" He spat.

AJ quickly turned around and left the room as Punk turned around and watched.

She walked down the corridor, pushing on the elevator button and getting inside immediately once the doors opened.

She pressed on the ground floor button, finally letting herself cry as the elevator began to move down the floors. She was brought out of her crying when she began to feel discomfort. It was no longer discomfort she was feeling but very much pain.

She placed her hand on the elevator mirror, taking deep breaths as she felt pain travelling up her abdomen and insides, crying a little.

Suddenly the elevator came to a sudden pause as AJ looked up at the screen, noticing she was only at the third floor. She reached over to open the doors by the button when she felt a sharper pain, causing her to yell out a little.

She looked down at her jeans, noticing the dampness around her crotch area, placing her hands over it as she saw the blood on her hands.

She immediately reached over to the button to upon the doors, clicking on it rapidly, getting blood all over the buttons as the doors seemed to not open.

She felt herself losing more blood, her jeans becoming soaked as her hands became stained with the blood.

"Help!" AJ called helplessly, banging on the elevator doors. She could see through the gap in the door that she was between floors, which made her panic even more, "Help!" She called in pain, her bloody hands holding onto the mirror as she felt the pain tighten even worse.

She took her shaking hand and grabbed out her phone from her pocket, unlocking it and trying to call Punk when she saw she had absolutely no signal, crying to herself, breathing rapidly in pain.

"Help!" She screamed louder, banging on the doors, clicking the emergency button rapidly, staining the elevators buttons and mirror with her blood. She was beginning to feel light headed, slowly sliding down the elevator wall, the pain being too much to stand.


	43. Terribly Sorry

**Terribly Sorry**

* * *

"I know she's your wife. I know you love her." Dean nodded, "But this shit is gonna get us all in trouble. And I don't mean a slap on the wrist." He said.

"She was defending herself. What was she supposed to do?" Punk asked them, "He came at her. He was gonna take her back to Russia and then what? It's not just her that was in danger but it was my kid too. She did what she had to do and she's covered her tracks." He said.

"It's not who we are. We've all changed and it's because of her. To accommodate her. She's your wife but she ain't mine." Dean said.

"Well then as my best friend can you just see this through. Can you put yourself in my shoes for just a second." Punk said, "All of you." He said, looking at them all.

"You've lost your way, man. You really have." Dean shook his head as the door to their room opened up.

"The elevator is stuck." A normal office worker said as Punk turned around.

"Do we look like the fucking fire department in here?" Punk asked angrily.

"Kat is inside. Third floor said they could hear her screaming but now it's dead silent." He said as Punk shook his head.

"What?" Punk gulped, following him out whilst Dean, Eve and Seth followed behind, "Have you called the fire department?" Punk asked as the man nodded.

"It looks like there's a jam in the system. I went into the control rooms." The man said, "The fire department are on their way. It's stuck between the fourth floor and the third."

Punk ran off to the stairs, running down to the third floor and rushing over to the elevator entrance which some people had gathered.

"April!" Punk yelled at the doors, trying to see up through the gap, people wondering why he was calling for April when none of them knew her by that name, "Have we got cameras in there?" He asked someone he didn't even know who was gathered.

"I think so." The woman nodded who he had asked, "You'll probably find them in the control room downstairs." She told him as he ran off downstairs, bursting into the control room which was strangely empty.

He looked around at the screens and got the footage in the elevator, looking on as he could see AJ was lying on the floor of the elevator not moving. He also could see the blood all over the floor and the walls.

"April." Punk said desperately, rushing back out of the room and heading back upstairs, calling 911 for an ambulance as he realised she wasn't just stuck in the elevator, her life was quite frankly in danger, as well as the babies. He didn't know where the blood was coming from. If it was to do with the baby, if it was something else. He was terrified.

He watched as the fire department came into the floor.

"How long has she been in there?" One of them asked as they began to get tools out.

"Uh… 10, 15 minutes maybe." Punk said, "It's my wife… she's pregnant and I think there's something wrong. You have to get her out. She's bleeding and-"

"We're gonna do everything we can to get her out quick and fast, ok?" He nodded to Punk, "An ambulance is on their way. How far along is she?"

"Uh… she's 37 weeks." Punk nodded, trying to stay calm, "I think it's stuck between the floors."

"We've got some people in the basement and in the control room, to see if we can unlock whatever the jam is." He said as Punk nodded, "Right now we need everyone to stay back and if possible evacuate the two floors."

It didn't take anyone a second telling. Everyone left the floors which the department were working on whilst Punk stayed. He had to give it to the fire department, for something that seemed so complicated, it took them all of four minutes to work together and unlock the elevator, moving it down to the third floor and opening up the doors to get AJ out.

"Oh my God." Punk shook his head, seeing AJ lying on the floor, blood all over the walls and the floor. He went into immediate shock at such a sight and watched as EMT's arrived and quickly got AJ out of the elevator.

"What's wrong with her? Has she hurt herself?" Punk asked, still unaware of where the bleeding was coming from, but as he noticed the slightly darker shade at the top of her jeans, he put it together and unfortunately realised his wife and baby were in danger.

"She needs to go to hospital right now." The EMT nodded as they got AJ into the gurney and got her out as Punk stood looking at the elevator.

"Phil." Eve rushed out from the stairwell, pausing when she saw the elevator as Dean and Seth followed behind her, pausing as they saw the elevator.

"Oh my God." Dean whispered.

"What's going on? What happened to her?" Eve asked Punk who just ignored her, walking by them and heading out of the building to go to the hospital.

"Jesus Christ." Seth looked in at the elevator, seeing the bloody handprints on the mirror, the blood on every single button, some on the floor, "Did she hurt herself?"

"No, it's the baby." Eve shook her head, knowing by the colour of blood that it wasn't just bleeding from a cut head or arm.

"How bad is this?" Dean asked Eve who studied the elevator.

"This is bad." Eve shook her head with a lump in her throat.

* * *

"My wife she's… she was in an accident at work. Stuck in an elevator, there might be… something wrong with the baby." Punk nodded, "Can you take me to her?" He asked, only functioning on shock as the woman looked on at the monitor in front of her.

"Mrs Brooks is in emergency surgery right now and an emergency C-section." The woman nodded, "I can take you round but I can't let you into the room."

"She's having the baby?" Punk shook his head as the woman nodded.

"You'll have to wait outside." The woman said.

"Y-Yeah. Ok. Just take me." Punk nodded, wanting to be as close to AJ as he possibly could.

He followed the nurse round to where he was standing outside the surgery room, pacing up and down, wondering how this would play out. He was a mess, desperately trying to stay calm, wondering if his wife and baby were ok. He'd never been so scared in all his life.

He waited for a while until finally the door opened.

"Mr Brooks." The woman appeared as Punk turned around, looking on at the moving little baby in her arms, making soft noises as Punk placed his hand over his forehead, "Your wife had a baby girl. Congratulations." She smiled, walking over to him as Punk looked on at the baby girl, so tiny but so precious and healthy in her arms.

Punk took the baby who was wrapped up in a blanket, straight from the nurse, smiling to himself as he looked down at her. She was just like AJ and she was perfect.

"She's beautiful." The nurse nodded as Punk smiled, nodding in agreement, swallowing the lump in his throat as he looked on at the gorgeous baby girl. He was so caught up in her beauty and spent a few minutes just staring at her.

"Uh… my wife…" Punk looked up from the baby girl, looking on at the nurse who looked at him, "How is she doing?" He nodded as the nurse looked at him, clasping her hands together as Punk looked at her funnily.

"Mr Brooks I'm sorry but we… we lost your wife." She nodded as Punk looked at her, tilting his head with confusion, genuinely not able to digest that sort of statement.

"What?" Punk shook his head, "No… no the EMT's said she was breathing. No." He shook his head, assuring himself that there was no way this was happening.

"We lost her in surgery. She lost a lot of blood. Too much." The nurse said, "She died at 6.52pm. A minute after your daughter was born." She said, "I'm terribly sorry." She shook her head as Punk just looked at her.

"You're lying." Punk shook his head. There was no way he was believing such a thing, "Why are you lying to me?" He asked.

"I know this is difficult." The nurse placed her hand on his arm as Punk walked away from her, walking down the corridor, looking down at the baby girl in his arms, her big brown eyes glistening, her little mouth moving as she made soft new born baby noises.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go. He wouldn't believe it.

* * *

"Phil." Eve walked over to Punk who was sitting on a chair in the hospital corridor. She immediately sat down beside him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, even though he wasn't hugging her back and was staying remotely stick, she still hugged him just as tight, "I'm so sorry." Eve said, muffled against his shoulder as Punk just sat lifelessly with nothing to say.

"Where… Where is the baby?" Eve asked him, pulling back from the hug.

"She's in the nursery down the hall." Punk said as Eve nodded.

"Is she ok?" Eve asked him.

"She's perfect." Punk nodded, sitting playing with his hands as Eve watched him.

"Phil, we're here for you." Eve shook her head, "All of us." She said as Punk looked up and saw Dean and Seth appeared behind Eve.

"I want you all to go away." Punk said calmly. He was still in shock and sitting there, he just didn't know what to do with himself. He didn't know how to feel. He felt nothing.

"Phil." Dean sighed, a lump in his throat, this was the last thing any of them wanted, "Phil, we're so sorry." Dean shook his head, a tear running down his cheek as Punk looked at him.

"No. You're relieved." Punk said as Dean looked across at him.

"Phil. No." Dean said.

"Can you all just-" Punk placed his hands over his face, "Go away." Punk said, "Please." He said with desperation as Eve looked at him.

"You shouldn't be alone right now." Eve shook her head.

"Are you guys gonna make me yell?" He turned to them, his eyes heavy, a lump in his throat, "Please just leave me alone." He said as Eve nodded, placing her hand on his arm.

"We'll… we'll see you tomorrow." Eve nodded as Punk just ignored her. She stood up, nodding to Seth and Dean who really didn't know what to say at all. It seemed so tragic that AJ, a woman who had been through hell and back, who had fought her entire life, had suddenly been defeated by a faulty elevator and childbirth. It didn't make sense.

Punk watched as they left, running his hands over his face as the nurse approached him.

"Mr Brooks." She said as Punk looked up, "Your daughter is due a feed if… if you'd like to come feed her?" She questioned. As staff they were doing all they could to support Punk at such a hard time.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, standing up and following her down the corridor. He felt like he was in a nightmare. He wouldn't believe that he had lost his wife. The one person in the world that understood him, that was there for him, his best friend.

He walked into the nursery with the nurse, walking over to his daughter who he felt guilty for not being so overjoyed by her arrival. It was hard to celebrate her and mourn his wife. It was something he just couldn't handle.

He picked her up from the bassinet. She was so precious and beautiful. Like a little angel. Her skin was soft and the same tone as AJ's, her eyes big and innocent, her tinty delicate features just made her all the more special.

"Here you go. Let's see how she goes." The nurse smiled, passing the bottle to Punk who nodded, lowering it to the baby's mouth as she latched on immediately, "Look at that." The nurse smiled, "You're a natural." She nodded as Punk looked down at the baby girl suckling on the bottle.

"She's just hungry." Punk dismissed as the nurse looked at him.

"Does she have a name yet?" She asked him.

"No." Punk shook his head, "My wife and I never discussed any names. We said we…." He paused, taking a deep breath, "We'd wait to see the baby before we chose anything. Together." He shook his head. This wasn't how it was supposed to go at all. AJ was supposed to be here, holding their daughter, deciding on a name together.

"I see." The nurse nodded, "Well you let me know when you've decided." She said as Punk nodded, "You can… see your wife tomorrow." She said as Punk looked at her, "Some people think it's good for closure. To have a… final goodbye." She nodded as Punk just looked up to avoid his tears rolling out.

"I… I'll think about it." Punk shook his head. His mind was all over the place. He'd never felt so lost in all his life.

"Of course." The nurse nodded, looking on at the baby girl and smiling, "She's really beautiful." She said as Punk nodded.

"She is." Punk said. Perhaps if it wasn't for the baby girl, he'd be completely lost. She was a purpose when everything else was telling him to give up. She was keeping him from falling over completely. But she couldn't quite take the pain away which he felt right now.

"I'll give you some time alone with her." The nurse nodded.

"Was there really nothing you could do?" Punk asked before the nurse could leave.

"We did everything we could." The nurse said, "She lost a lot of blood. Her body went into shock. Our priority was the baby and once we got her… it was just too late." She nodded, "There are people you can talk to." She said.

"I don't want to talk to anyone." Punk shook his head as the nurse just nodded, "When can I take her home?" He asked.

"You should be able to take her home tomorrow." The nurse nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, "Thank you." He nodded. He was grateful to have his daughter healthy, and he knew that was down to the nurses and doctors in the hospital.

The nurse nodded and left the room as Punk sat over on the chair in the corner, looking down at the baby girl who took her bottle, sighing to himself as he realised… it was just the two of them now.

* * *

"How is she?" Johnny Shelby, a leader among many other things said, sitting on his phone as he sat in his office in Germany.

"She's out of it. She's in a coma but she's alive." The doctor on the phone said, "The husband will be given the chance to see her."

"Can you make her look like she's dead?" Johnny questioned.

"Well she's in a coma. We can do our best." He said, "Tell me how on earth this is all going to work out?"

"You don't have to worry about that. You're just a small part in all of this." Johnny said, lighting up a cigarette, "She'll be transferred when the time is right. When she's ready. Your job is to make everyone aware, especially the husband, that she's dead and gone." He said, "You've worked with me for a long time now. Tell me you can do it?"

"I can but… this is the CIA. Don't underestimate them." The doctor said.

"I won't, but I don't underestimate myself either." He said, "Where are you keeping her just now?"

"Well she's in the morgue." The doctor said, "With the correct machines of course."

"As long as she's still breathing I don't care where she is." Johnny admitted, "Did the kid make it?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised." The doctor shook his head.

"Well it wasn't supposed to." Johnny said, "We all love a bit of good news, though I suppose." He shrugged, "Keep me posted with the husband. Once that's all out of the way, we can get her transferred." He said as the doctor nodded, "Just keep your eye on the husband, especially if he goes to see her body. Make sure he doesn't catch on that she's fucking breathing." He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, sir." The doctor nodded.

"I'll call again tomorrow for an update. Good job." Johnny nodded, hanging up on the call and putting his phone down on his desk.


	44. Plotting Around

**Plotting Around**

* * *

Punk didn't see how he was supposed to go home and sleep. He didn't have a home in Virginia anymore and he knew he wouldn't be doing any sleeping anyway. He spent the night at the hospital, sitting on the bench in the corridor, going back and forth between there and the nursery to see the baby.

He was trying to think of a name but it felt so wrong. He was brain storming ideas but all he could think about was AJ. He wasn't sure how to function without her. It wasn't something he could get used to. He was still in shock.

" _Names. We need to think of names." AJ said, placing a book down on the kitchen table where Punk was working._

" _We don't know what we're having." Punk laughed a little as she sat down across from him._

" _I know but we still need to have an idea. I know we said we'd like to wait until we say it's little face but we can still have ideas, right?" She shrugged._

" _Ok but looking through a book is a little cliché, don't you think?" He smiled._

" _Fine." AJ shrugged, folding her arms, "Give me some names you like off the top of your head." She said as Punk laughed a little._

" _I… I don't know, I've not thought about it actually." He admitted, feeling bad, "Do you have any?"_

" _A few. But I'm not certain on any." AJ shrugged._

" _Well tell me." He smiled._

" _Well it's mostly girl names." AJ nodded, "I like Lily." She said as Punk nodded slowly, "And Polly."_

" _You got any others?" Punk cringed, not liking either of them as AJ just made a face._

" _I liked Raimy too. That's probably my favourite but I knew you wouldn't like that either." AJ shrugged._

" _Raimy?" Punk asked as AJ nodded, "Bit of a weird one." He laughed a little._

" _Well I think it's sweet." AJ shrugged as Punk looked on at his paper work, "You're not even listening to me." She huffed, "I'll talk to you when I have your full attention." She stood up as Punk watched her walk way._

He only wished he'd listened to her more. He wished he'd cherished every moment with her like it really was their last. Because now it was reality that they couldn't share any more moments together.

"Morning." Punk nodded, holding the baby girl in his arms after going to visit her in the nursery, "How'd you sleep?" He asked softly, "Good?" He nodded as the baby girl just made soft noises with her mouth, looking up at him, "I take that as a yes." He said.

"Here we go." The nurse walked over to him with a bottle as Punk took it from her, "She's been good." She smiled as Punk nodded, "You know not all babies are as quiet as she is. You're blessed." She said.

"Yeah, maybe." Punk nodded, taking the bottle from her and feeding the baby girl, "I uh… I've got a name for her." He said as the nurse smiled. She'd been great and attentive to Punk in the right ways. She'd let him sit in the hospital through the night, she'd spoken to him in the right way instead of continuing to say how sorry she was for him.

"Oh, really?" She smiled, "What did you decide on?" She asked.

"Raimy Jeanette Brooks." Punk nodded. He figured at the time he hadn't really thought about the names AJ had suggested, but he knew her favourite was Raimy and as he thought about it, he grew in love with it.

"Oh, that's so beautiful." The nurse smiled, looking down at the baby girl, "She suits it." She nodded as Punk looked down at her.

"Yeah." Punk agreed.

"You must be so tired." The nurse said with concern, noticing how tired Punk looked, "If you want to go get some sleep, we can keep Raimy here until you can pick her up."

"Oh, no… I'll be taking her home right away." Punk said, "Well, probably to a hotel for the time being. I suppose I… there'll need to be a funeral organised." He nodded to himself as the nurse sighed. It just didn't seem fair. To be celebrating the birth of a child whilst planning a funeral. It was cruel.

"If there's anything we at the hospital can do." She said as Punk smiled.

"You've done enough." Punk said, "I uh… I've thought about it, about seeing my wife… I don't think I'm gonna do it." He shook his head, "I don't think I can handle that." He admitted, "I thought about taking Raimy into… into see her, introduce her but… I just don't think I can do it." He gulped as the nurse nodded.

"And that's ok." The nurse nodded, "We all handle things differently. I'm sure your wife knew how loved she was and how loved she was going to be by her daughter." She said as Punk nodded, "It's your decision." She said.

"I don't think I can do it." Punk shook his head.

He didn't feel strong enough. If he saw AJ laying there he was sure he would have fell apart completely. She was always his strength and motivation, and he wasn't sure he could see her that way.

"Ok." The nurse nodded, "Then you can take Raimy home and… take all the time you need." She said, "I know you're from Chicago, right?"

"Yeah, we are." Punk nodded, "I guess, the funeral will be out here." Punk said as the nurse nodded.

"I'd like to come." She said, "If you'd let me." She nodded.

"You didn't know her." Punk shook his head with confusion.

"I-I know but… I'd just like to show my support." She said as Punk looked at her, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, of course." Punk nodded, "I've not really thought about it in depth so… but I'll let you know." He said as she nodded, "So I can just leave after she's had her feed?" He asked as the nurse looked at him.

"Mr Brooks, Raimy needs to be in a carrier. We can't let you leave with her without having one." She said as Punk nodded.

"I knew that." Punk shook his head. His head was in the clouds. He wasn't on planet earth at the minute, "I'll have to… I'll have to go buy one, everything is in Chicago." He said as the nurse nodded, "Do you mind taking her, I'll go out and buy one just now."

"There's no rush." The nurse said as he passed Raimy over to her, continuing to feed her as the nurse took over.

"I'd rather go do it just now." He said as the nurse nodded, "I'll be back." He said as the nurse nodded.

Punk left the nursery and headed out of the hospital for the first time since getting there last night. Feeling the fresh air was a relief. Everything felt so isolated and constricted in the hospital.

"Phil." Dean appeared, holding a carrier as Punk looked over, "Hey, man. How are you doing?" He shook his head as Punk looked at him.

"How do you think?" Punk questioned as Dean looked at him.

"Look I am… I'm so sorry." Dean said, "Just because I had my differences with April didn't mean I loved her any less."

"Loved her?" Punk questioned, "You treated her like shit." Punk said.

"We just didn't get along but I would never wish this on anyone. Certainly not you. Not my best friend. It kills me to see you so hurt and we're all here for you, for anything you need." He said, "Eve has got a crib set up at her place so if you're gonna crash somewhere it's best you go there. And she told me to bring this, that you might need it." He held the carrier up as Punk took it from him.

"You're just all relieved she's not a problem anymore." Punk said.

"No. No, we're absolutely not." Dean said, "I know how much you loved her. And I know how much she loved you. And this has to be hard for you. I just want to be here for you. Please. Please let me do that." He said as Punk looked down at the ground, feeling himself getting weaker and weaker as hours went by.

"I don't know what to do, Dean." Punk shook his head, letting tears go as Dean nodded.

"That's ok." Dean said, wrapping his arms around him, not giving him the choice, "We've got you. We're here for you." He said as Punk sat the carrier down and wrapped his arms around Dean, crying quietly as Dean tried to keep it together. To see their best friend go through this was devastating, they were all shocked and upset.

* * *

"The husband doesn't want to see her body." Doctor Ralph spoke on the phone, "So that's a positive."

"That's good to hear." Johnny nodded, "We'll transfer the bodies when she's in the funeral parlour. You need to make sure they go to Benson's funeral parlour. My guys there will help you make the switch and it'll snowball from there. Once she's in there, no one will be looking inside the coffin anyway so… no one will be the wiser." He said.

"Extreme lengths you're going to for this girl." Ralph said, "She got something over you?" He asked.

"She doesn't know me." Johnny laughed, "Not yet anyway." He said, "She's a very special girl, though. It's a waste for her to spend the rest of her life playing a good guy and being a mom and a good wife." He said.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Ralph asked.

"Of course it will. No reason for it not to." Johnny said, "I have eyes and ears all over this. You just make sure you suggest Benson's funeral parlour to the husband. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes. I can." Ralph said.

"Great. I'll be calling again tomorrow to check in. You're doing a good job." Johnny said as Ralph nodded, "Speak soon."

* * *

"Bye bye Raimy." The nurse, Sarah said, crouched down by a chair which Raimy was in her carrier on. She had a sweet baby grow on and a tiny little hat, as well as a blanket of course, "I'm gonna miss that face." She smiled.

"Thank you for everything you've done." Punk nodded as Sarah looked up at him, standing up and shaking her head.

"It's no problem. Let me know about the funeral. I'd really like to go." Sarah said as Punk nodded, "Do you have a place to go?"

"I'm going to stay at a friend's for now, until the funeral. Then I guess I'll be taking her to Chicago." Punk nodded, looking down at Raimy in the car seat, falling asleep like a little angel as Punk smiled.

"So you have friends here?" Sarah nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said, feeling lucky to say that he did have people around him who did want to help. Once he'd broken down in Dean's arms, he realised he did need his friends right now.

"Well that's good." Sarah said.

"I should get going." Punk nodded.

"Of course." Sarah said.

"Uh Phil…" Doctor Ralph came out of the corridor around the corner.

"I have to go. Stay in touch." Sarah nodded to Punk, walking away as Punk focused his attention on Ralph.

"Hey." Punk looked at him, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Ralph nodded, "I was in the surgery with your wife. We did everything we could." He said.

"I know." Punk said, "Thank you for helping my daughter get here safely." Punk nodded.

"I wanted to give you this." Ralph said, extending over a business card as Punk took it, "It's a funeral parlour in the local area. I know it's quick but… well I lost my wife early on." He said as Punk looked across at him. In Punk's current state, he wasn't questioning anything. He was taking everyone for their word. He had no energy to be suspicious.

"Uh thanks…" Punk shook his head with confusion.

"They're really great to organise things with. Very subtle but straight to the point." Ralph said, "If you're wanting something quiet and meaningful then… I'd go there for sure." Ralph nodded, "I just… I know how you're feeling." He lied, "This parlour was really great with me."

"Yeah well I… I guess I'll have to give them a call soon." Punk nodded with a deep sigh, putting the card in his pocket as Ralph nodded, "I have to go."

"Yes, of course." Ralph said.

"Thank you." Punk nodded, walking out of the hospital with Raimy, waking over to Eve's parked car, opening up the back seat and putting Raimy in, "How do I do this?" Punk asked Eve who got out of the car and walked around.

"You go into the car, I'll do it." Eve said softly.

"Well I need to learn so can you show me?" Punk snapped as Eve looked at him, "I'm sorry." He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"You're fine." Eve rubbed his arm softly, "Here, this is what you do." Eve showed him how to put the carrier the right way. He figured him and AJ would have learned these things together as they went along, but now he was on his own.

"Seems easy enough." Punk nodded after watching Eve.

"Yeah." Eve nodded, "She's so beautiful, Phil." She shook her head, looking at Raimy sleeping, stroking her cheek softly.

"She is." Punk nodded, getting into the car as Eve closed the door over and got into the drivers seat.

"You ok?" Eve asked him as he nodded.

"Should be going home with her." Punk shook his head, putting his hand over his lower face to hide his quivering mouth.

"I know." Eve said, placing her hand on his arm, "We're all here for you, anything you need. You and Raimy." She nodded as Punk looked at her.

"Thank you." Punk said, placing his hand over hers and nodding.


	45. Time

**Time**

* * *

"Phil." Eve knocked on the door to her spare bedroom, "Can I come in?" She asked softly, not getting a reply. She walked on in, pausing at the doorway as she saw Punk lying in bed in his black suit, his eyes opened but not saying anything, "Phil, Raimy needs her bottle." She said.

"Can you give her it?" Punk asked as Eve looked across at him.

"Yeah, of course I can." Eve said, "Do you need anything?" She asked, walking further into the room, over to the bed as Punk just shook his head.

"No, I'm fine." Punk nodded.

"Today went well." Eve said, "As well as it could." She nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said quietly, the sounds of Raimy's cries ringing in his ears, "Is she alright?" He asked suspiciously, lifting his head slightly.

"Just hungry." Eve smiled softly, "I'll go get her." She nodded, "Although… I think she prefers you."

"Can you just do it?" Punk asked her with an exhausted sigh as Eve nodded.

"Yeah." Eve said, "Maybe you'd be comfier out of your suit." She said.

"Eve." Punk groaned a little, "Sense the tone. Leave me alone." Punk said as politely as he could. He knew she was just trying to help but today was a day he wanted to be left alone.

"Ok." Eve nodded, walking out of the bedroom and closing the door over behind her, walking over to the living room where Raimy was in the crib she had bought for the time being, "Hi, sweet girl." She smiled, picking the few week old baby girl up into her arms.

"She cries a lot." Dean said, walking out from the kitchen with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"She's a baby." Eve rolled her eyes, "Where's that bottle?"

"It's here." Seth appeared, "I did the wrist test thing. I think it's fine." He nodded.

"You think?" Eve shook her head, taking the bottle from him, testing it on her wrist and nodding, sitting down on the couch and feeding Raimy.

"How is he?" Dean asked.

"He's depressed and he's tired." Eve said, "I'm sure he's better days than burying his wife."

"Is there anything we can do?" Seth questioned.

"I think he just wants the space." Eve nodded, looking down at Raimy as she took her bottle, "He needs time to grieve." She said.

"He told me that he regrets not seeing her." Dean said, "Her body that is. That he wished he took the chance to say goodbye." He said as Eve nodded.

"I thought he would." Eve said, "I know him. He's stronger than anyone. He'll get to his lowest and then he'll pull himself all the way back up." She nodded confidently, "And he'll do it for her." She looked on at Raimy.

"Is he going back to Chicago?" Seth asked.

"I think so." Eve nodded.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Dean questioned, "You've sort of been… taking care of Raimy for him."

"Because he's barely been getting out of bed." Eve said, "Like I said… he needs time to grieve." She said as the bathroom door opened up, Coleen walking out in a black dress, looking over at them as they stared at her.

"What are you all looking at?" Coleen batted as they stared at her, watching as she walked across the room and into the spare bedroom.

"She's definitely April's sister." Dean nodded, taking out a cigarette.

"If you're doing that, do it outside." Eve ordered. She was trying to take control for everyone at this difficult time.

Coleen headed into the bedroom where Punk was. He'd unfortunately had to call her and tell her about AJ. It was a difficult phone call of course. Coleen made her way to Virginia right away. She was finding it hard that the sister she was just getting to know had been taken away from her so quickly.

"What are you doing?" Coleen folded her arms, looking on at Punk lying on top of the bed with his eyes closed.

"What does it look like I'm fucking doing?" Punk spat, turning around on the bed so his back was facing her.

"Looks like you're feeling sorry for yourself." Coleen tested, "She'd expect more than this from you. Lying around, feeling sorry for yourself, not speaking to anyone… that's not really you."

"Shut up." Punk groaned, massaging his forehead. She was irritating as hell, now more than ever. He knew she was grieving in her own ways, but he wished everyone would let him grieve in his way.

"That girl has been taking care of Raimy since I got here. She needs her dad." Coleen said.

"That girl has a name. It's Eve. Use it." Punk said, "And she's been helping me. Why does it concern you?" He questioned.

"I'm Raimy's auntie. Me and you are her blood. Those people out there aren't blood." Coleen said.

"They're my family." Punk said, "Can you get out of the room, please? I'm trying to sleep."

"It's 2pm." Coleen looked at the clock as Punk got off the bed angrily, ripping his suit jacket off and throwing it on the ground, undoing his tie and walking around the bed towards her.

"You knew April three months. I spent three years with her." Punk said, "She was my wife. Mother of my kid. If I want to lie on a bed and think about her and feel sorry for myself that I don't have my wife anymore then guess what?" Punk said, "I'm gonna do it." He made himself clear as Coleen looked up at him. She'd never saw this side of him before. He was always so caring, so full of life and sweet.

"I'm just saying… she'd expect more. Raimy needs her father to take care of her." Coleen said.

"I am taking care of her." Punk said.

"You spend every day in this room." Coleen said, "When we go back to Chicago I won't let you do that."

"You'll let me do whatever I want. It's my house." Punk said. He didn't expect them to butt heads like this but apparently they were.

"I'm sorry you lost her." Coleen said, "I'm sorry for myself too. I got this promise of a sister. She came and rescued me. She came into my life like this… beautiful self-rescuing princess. She gave me hope." She nodded, "And now she's not here. And I won't get to know my sister like I wanted to. I'm back to feeling alone." She said, "But I have a niece and I have a brother-in-law… you're still my family." She nodded as he looked down at her.

"Then get off my neck." Punk told her, "And give me peace." He said, walking back around the bed and collapsing down on it as Coleen watched him.

Coleen walked out of the bedroom and into the living room where the guys were. Eve was still feeding Raimy whilst Seth was sat drinking a beer and Dean had returned from his cigarette.

"How is she?" Coleen smiled, crouching down in front of Eve, looking on at Raimy, stroking her cheek softly as Eve just nodded.

"I think she's doing the best out of all of us." Eve admitted.

"Yeah." Coleen nodded, "You're probably right."

"Will you keep an eye on him when you go back to Chicago?" Dean asked as Coleen nodded.

"Yeah, I will." Coleen nodded, "Trust me, he won't be lying in bed all day every day when we go back." She said.

"Yes but you have to give him time to grieve." Eve told her, "With all due respect. He's lost his wife." She reminded them, "He's not going to get over that in a few days. No even weeks. This is going to take time and you have to give him it." She told the young girl.

"I will." Coleen said, "But I already sense the type of person he is." Coleen said, "He'll get through this. If not for himself then for her." She nodded to Raimy.

"Yeah I can believe that." Eve nodded, "Just give him the proper space." She said, "I've known him longer than you. Don't make him snap. You won't like it." She shook her head as Coleen stood up.

"I think he's already snapped at me a few times. I'll be fine." Coleen said.

"You think that's him snapping?" Eve questioned, "No, that's him a little annoyed. You'll know when he snaps." She said, "Just give him space. The best thing you can do is… help him with Raimy. Seeing her must remind him of April, I can only imagine." She said.

"She certainly looks like her." Seth nodded.

"She does." Coleen agreed.

"She's a good baby." Eve said, "So quiet." She said, amazed.

"She doesn't get that from April that's for sure." Coleen said as they smiled, "I'm kinda worried about him." She said, looking over to the spare bedroom door.

"He'll be ok." Eve nodded, "He's strong. He just needs time." She said, "Just be there for him in any way you can. We'll be back and forth to Chicago to help out." She promised.

"I feel like I'm just a pain in his ass now." Coleen admitted, standing up straight.

"Right now we're all a pain in his ass." Seth said, "Don't take it personally." He said, "You meant a lot to April, even in a short time, he knows that." He said as Coleen nodded.

"I hope so." Coleen said, "I think we'll be leaving sooner rather than later. I think he wants to be home." She said.

"Yeah, I'd imagine." Eve nodded as Raimy pulled away from her bottle after having enough, "Oh, are you finished?" Eve asked softly, "Huh? Have you had enough, baby?" She nodded, putting the bottle down and wiping around her mouth.

"I just hope he doesn't shut everyone out." Coleen said.

"He won't." Eve said, holding Raimy into her as she burped her, rubbing her back softly, "He'll come around. Give him time." She said as Coleen nodded.

* * *

"How is she?" Johnny asked, walking into the room where the doctor, Ralph was with AJ, who had been transferred to Germany where Johnny was working from.

"She's doing good. Should be waking up soon." Ralph said, "Everything went to plan. Everyone played their part well. The boy at the gas station. Security in the control room at the building. Me. The boys at the funeral parlour. I'm surprised." He admitted.

"I told you not to underestimate me." Johnny said, smoking his cigarette as he walked around the bed, sitting down on the chair beside.

"Are you going to tell me what you want her for now?" Ralph asked as Johnny sat back.

"I've heard about her." Johnny nodded, "Broke out of one of the most notorious female prisons in the world… I mean… that's talent." He said as Ralph looked on at AJ sleeping, "And she's an accomplished assassin. Someone I'd want working with me." He shrugged, "There's nothing more to it." He said, "Something beautiful about someone who can get away with murder but… a female?" He asked, "That's special. Unique." He nodded.

"Have you thought about what happens when she does wake up and… she realises she's became a ghost. Again." Ralph said, "You've taken her away from her husband and her baby."

"She'll get over it. This life suits her way more than a domesticated one. I'll convince her of that." Johnny said, "I don't want her so I can abuse her or use her. I want to work with her. I admire her." He said, smoking on his cigarette, "I think she's amazing."

"How'd you find out about her?" Ralph asked.

"I knew Eugene. You know the… former foreign minister, at least I think that's what he was." Johnny said, "We done some trading back in the day. I got some files on her." He said, "When he showed up dead I figured it was her."

"So what are you gonna use her for?" Ralph asked.

"What do you think?" Johnny asked as Ralph stayed silent, "What she's good at." He shrugged, "She's good for covering tracks. For doing dirty work." He nodded, "And so that's what I'll use her for." He said, "When will she wake?"

"Soon." Ralph nodded, "She's doing good."

"Good. Give me a shout." Johnny nodded, standing up from the chair and disappearing out of the bedroom.


	46. Woken

**Woken**

* * *

"Phil." Coleen said loudly, opening his bedroom door with her foot as she held a crying Raimy in her arms, walking on into the bedroom where Punk was lying on top of the bed.

"What?" Punk moaned.

"She's not settling for me. She wants you." Coleen said as Punk looked up at her, "You can lie in your bed all day if you want but she needs her father to take care of her." She said. She wasn't going to let him distance himself with Raimy.

"Just put her in her crib." Punk mumbled, turning around in the bed as Coleen shook her head.

She walked around the bed to the other empty side and placed Raimy down beside him.

"What are you doing?" Punk shook his head.

"Be her father." Coleen demanded, walking away out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her as Punk looked on at Raimy who was crying loudly, lying on the space beside him in bed as he sighed. He hated listening to her little cry. It seemed so sad and painful.

He sat up and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her into him as he looked down at her.

"What's wrong?" Punk asked her softly, "Huh?" He said, stroking her cheek softly, bouncing her ever so lightly in his arms as Raimy looked up at him, her cries lowering as she looked up at him, "She really would have loved you." Punk shook his head.

To not have been able to see AJ with their daughter was one of the hardest things about this. To know his daughter would grow up without a mother. He and AJ would lay in bed at night during her pregnancy and talk about everything they were going to do with the baby. How they were planning to be the best parents anyone could ask for, and be the parents that they longed for. But that dream felt like it had faded out into nothing.

"You're so sweet." Punk whispered, looking down at her as she had now gone silent and was mouthing her little mouth around, making soft noises and wriggling her legs a little.

They'd been in Chicago for a couple of days and he was ashamed to say he hadn't left his bedroom much. Coleen had been taking care of Raimy and he knew that wasn't fair on her. She was grieving too, but he just couldn't face life. It just felt so wrong without AJ. And every time he saw Raimy, he just thought about AJ.

"You look just like her." Punk nodded, tapping her little nose softly as the baby girl let go of a sweet smile, her eyes closey as Punk fell more in love with her, "You do." He nodded with a smile. She had dark hair, with a fair amount on her head, tiny little nose and mouth, gorgeous brown eyes and her mother's tanned skin. She really was an angel baby.

"I'm sorry I'm not doing a very good job right now." He shook his head, watching the baby girl as she slept, "I just… don't know what to do without her." He admitted, stroking the top of her little hand, leaning down and kissing her head as the baby girl smirked in her sleep again.

"You're smiley today." Punk smiled, getting off the bed and heading out of his bedroom and into the nursery to put her into her crib.

He looked down at her, just staring at her for a few minutes, only wishing that AJ could have met her, that she could have saw how beautiful she was.

He left the room, switching on the little starry lamp in the corner of the room and closing the door over a little.

He then headed downstairs and into the kitchen where Coleen was.

"I told you." Coleen said, "When she cries it's because she wants you." She shook her head.

"No, I think she just needed to sleep." Punk said.

"Sure." Coleen said, unconvinced, "I was thinking we could take her out a walk in her stroller. You've not used it yet. Get you both some fresh air." She said as Punk shook his head.

"I don't want fresh air." Punk said, "You can take her out if you like. But don't go far." He told her. Part of him felt like he had to baby Coleen too. She was still just nineteen years old and she was also still overcoming everything she'd gone through, but he took his hat off to her, she was definitely stepping up and taking charge. Something he knew AJ would do.

"You can't coop yourself up in the house forever." Coleen said.

"I can do what I like." Punk told her honestly, making himself some coffee.

"She'd hate this." Coleen said, looking over at him, "She'd hate seeing you like this."

"Good job she isn't here then." Punk nodded as Coleen shook her head.

"She went through all of that. She died and Raimy lived so you know what? The least you could do is step up and be a father." Coleen said as Punk turned around to her.

"I'm so tempted to throw you out, I really am." Punk nodded.

"Oh, yeah. That would really help. In case you haven't noticed, I've been the one taking care of Raimy this entire time." Coleen said, "Maybe me leaving would be a good idea, then you'd have to take care of her."

"I am taking care of her." Punk said, "Why is everyone acting like I don't have the right to be fucking upset about this? This is my wife. She's supposed to be here with me." He said, "She'd hate me saying this but… she had an awful life. Awful. And this was her time. She was happy. She was excited. She's been through hell. She survived trafficking, prison, abusive boyfriends, jobs she didn't want to do but… it's a fucking elevator and childbirth that kills her? How is that fair?"

"She was in prison?" Coleen shook her head as Punk looked across at her, realising she didn't really know April at all. He felt like he was the only one who really knew the real her.

"You didn't know your sister. Maybe that's why it's easier for you." Punk said.

"It's not any easier. I was given the hope of family and then it got taken away from me just as quick. That's devastating." Coleen said, "Now we can continue to fight and butt heads or we can pull together and be strong." She said, "That's your decision."

"All I want right now is to go back to bed." Punk said, taking his coffee and leaving the kitchen as Coleen sighed.

He walked back upstairs and into the bedroom, closing the door over, drawing the curtains to make sure no light could get in and collapsed back into bed.

* * *

"She's waking up." Ralph said as Johnny walked into the bedroom where AJ was beginning to wake up, "Give her some space."

"Ok." Johnny nodded, taking a seat on the chair beside the bed, watching as AJ woke up slowly.

AJ opened her eyes, not knowing where she was or what was going on. The first thing she noticed was that she was no longer pregnant, and that's when it all came flooding back to her, the elevator, screaming for help, bleeding out, panicking, and suddenly she needed her baby.

"Where…" She gulped, swallowing her dry throat, "Where is my baby?" She asked, not even acknowledging the fact she was in a strange bedroom, "Where is my baby?" She cried a little, running her hand over her stomach which was very clearly not pregnant anymore.

"April, you're safe and you're healthy here." Johnny nodded to her as AJ turned to him, "My name is Johnny Shelby, this is doctor Ralph, he was the one who helped you."

"Where is my baby?" AJ questioned. It was all she cared about.

Johnny looked over to Ralph and nodded. This was the only way they figured they could gain control over her.

"April." Ralph said, "The baby didn't make it." He said as AJ looked at him, "You had a girl but she… we couldn't get her out in time. We lost her." He nodded as AJ looked at him and shook her head.

"No." AJ shook her head, "No, where is my baby? Where is she?" AJ questioned, trying to get out of the bed as Ralph held her back down.

"You're too weak." Ralph said as AJ began to cry, "The baby died, April. She's gone." He said as AJ cried, shaking her head, she didn't believe it. She couldn't feel it.

"No." AJ cried, shaking her head, pushing him away, "No, where is my baby?!" She yelled, still not realising she was in a different country. She was just so focused on her baby.

"April, you're not in America anymore." Johnny said as AJ cried, looking at him, "You're in Germany."

"I need my baby." She whispered.

"Your baby is dead." Johnny said bluntly, "We've been taking care of you and… this is your home now." He nodded as AJ just shook her head, so confused, in pain, physical and emotional pain.

"No." AJ continued to sob, "Where is my husband?" She asked, "I want my husband." She nodded. She didn't want two strangers. She wanted Punk, she wanted him to tell her this news if it was true.

"April, are you listening to me?" Johnny said, "You're in Germany." He said as AJ looked at him, "Your husband is in America." He said, "You're going to stay here now. This is where you belong."

"I don't know you." AJ shook her head with confusion, "What did you do to my baby?" She asked, starting to worry, starting to feel like that 10 year old little girl, wondering if she was back in a camp of some sort.

"We didn't do anything." Johnny said, "She was dead when Ralph got her out." He nodded as AJ lay in shock, not being able to understand and process anything, "You're going to rest here and get better." He nodded, "And then you're going to work with me. I know all about you. You're… you're so talented. So special." He nodded, but AJ was barely listen. She just knew she was in trouble and that she'd lost everything, and she wondered if this was her karma. Her fairytale had ended before it had really began.

"I want my baby." AJ said, continuing to repeat it. Being in a strange place wasn't what was terrifying her. She'd been in many strange places. She'd had her fair share of residences. But being without her husband, not knowing what was going on, if her baby was really dead. That's what hurt her and terrified her the most.

"We're going to let you rest." Johnny nodded, "It's a lot to take in. I'll be around later on with some food and maybe we can talk a little more." He said, rubbing AJ's arm as she flinched and took it away, "You're safe here, April. I promise you that." He said as AJ just stayed quiet, drifting into a day-dream, wondering what was really going on.

All she knew was that she felt like a part of her had been ripped out. Being without her baby felt like it was draining her life, and not knowing why she was here, and where her husband was. She was scared.


	47. Keeping A Secret

**Keeping A Secret**

* * *

 _Two months later…_

"Phil?" Coleen said, knocking on the office door upstairs, "Can I come in?" She asked.

"Yeah." Punk answered as she walked on into the room where Punk had been burying his mind in work, "What's up?" Punk asked her.

"Raimy needs more diapers and formula." Coleen said.

"Right, I can go." Punk nodded.

"No, let me." Coleen said, "I was thinking about taking her with me. Fresh air will do her good."

"You're obsessed with fresh air." Punk shook his head, "You don't have to ask my permission to take her." He said.

"Well I think I do." Coleen said, "I just wanted to make sure it was ok."

"Coleen, it's fine. As long as she's got her hat on and she's wrapped up, you can take her." Punk nodded, "She's in her crib."

"Ok." Coleen smiled, "Can I get you anything at the store while I'm there?" She asked him.

"No, I'm good." Punk nodded, "Thanks." He said as Coleen nodded, leaving the office and closing the door over behind her.

She headed next door into the nursery where two month old Raimy was in her crib, awake but peaceful. She was a beautiful little thing. She didn't kick up a fuss. She was sweet as hell and Coleen had grown to love her like she was her own.

"Ok, let's go on a little adventure." Coleen whispered, lifting up Raimy from her crib, "Your dad said we gotta wrap you up." She nodded, holding Raimy against her chest, "So we gotta get you your hat, and your blankets, so we can keep you nice and toasty." She nodded, leaving the nursery and heading off downstairs to get the baby girl ready.

Over the course of the two months, Punk had been going between work and taking care of Raimy. After the first few weeks of quite frankly, depression, he pulled himself together for his baby girl and was doing what he could to be there for her. It was still incredibly hard and unbelievable. Coleen had been a great help. He had learned to bury his sorrows in work and the sound of his baby girl's movement. That's what kept him going.

"Coleen." Punk called down the stairs after leaving his office.

"Yeah?" Coleen called, walking out of the living room.

"It's getting dark. Take your phone." Punk nodded to her after he realised the time.

"I'd take it anyway." Coleen nodded, "Are you sure you don't want anything?" She asked him, buttoning up her own coat.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Punk nodded, walking off back into his office as Coleen headed back into the living room where Raimy was in her stroller and ready to head out.

* * *

Coleen had left the house and was heading along the dark side walk, looking on at Raimy in the stroller who was fast asleep in all her layers. She continued to walk briskly down the street and turned into a small lane.

She wheeled the stroller down and paused, untucking the blankets and lifting Raimy out of the stroller, walking on foot a little further down the lane until she came to her destination.

"I'm sorry. It has to be quick." Coleen nodded.

"I don't have long." AJ whispered, taking her hood down as she leaned off of the wall, looking on at her baby girl, whom she had yet to meet, "Thank you for bringing her."

"Well I wouldn't keep her from you." Coleen said, "Here. Hold her." She said as AJ looked on at the baby girl, taking her into her arms for the first time, looking down at her sleeping as she let go of a few sobs.

"Oh my God." AJ shook her head, "She's perfect." She said, stroking her daughter's cheek softly. This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. She was supposed to hold her daughter right away after giving birth, with Punk beside her, just the three of them. She didn't think she'd be meeting her daughter down a side lane in secret.

"She's beautiful." Coleen agreed, keeping her eye around them to make sure it was just the two of them.

"What's her name? What did he call her?" AJ smiled, not being able to take her eyes from the baby girl.

"Raimy Jeanette." Coleen smiled as AJ raised her eyebrows.

"He knew I loved that name." AJ nodded, "Raimy." She smiled, looking down at all her little delicate features, "She's so beautiful." She shook her head.

"She's a great baby." Coleen nodded, "Always smiling."

"Really?" AJ smiled as Coleen nodded, "They still think I believe she died." She told her as Coleen nodded, "I couldn't stay away much longer." She shook her head, "I had to meet her at least." She nodded, "How is Phil?"

"He's ok." Coleen shrugged, "Burying himself in work." She nodded, "He's good with her but he… he misses you." She said as AJ nodded.

"I miss him." AJ shook her head, "But he can't know." She looked at Coleen who nodded, "He just can't."

"This isn't fair on you." Coleen said, "You need to be here with your family."

"If I come back it will make things worse. Believe me." AJ said, "And it breaks my heart." She shook her head, looking down at her daughter, whom she had so many plans for. She and Punk had talked about being the best parents they possibly could be. About learning things together. She felt like she had let her daughter down, "She's amazing." AJ shook her head. It was hard to believe that this was the baby girl she had growing inside of her. She had been so abruptly taken from her that it almost felt like they were disconnected. She didn't have that bond with her that she planned and it was breaking her heart.

"She is." Coleen said, "I can bring her to you again like this-"

"No, people are watching. This was the only chance I could get." AJ gulped as Coleen nodded, "I just can't risk it." She said as Coleen nodded, "You're taking care of them?"

"I'm doing my best." Coleen nodded, looking on at AJ as she held Raimy's hand and kissed her head, "AJ, we had a kiss." She said as AJ looked up, "Me and Phil. We've been butting heads and fighting. He was upset. I was upset. He thinks you're dead." She said, "It happened and we stopped it right away. It was stupid but I wouldn't keep it from you. He really misses you." She said as AJ just nodded.

"Right." AJ nodded, looking back down at Raimy, "I can't stay much longer, you need to take her."

"Aren't you going to tell me what you're even doing? What are these people doing to you?" She asked, taking Raimy from AJ.

"They're not doing anything to me." AJ promised, "Trust me, the less you know the better." She nodded, cupping the back of Raimy's head softly. Not getting the chance to be her mother was the most heart-breaking thing about all of this. Not seeing her husband was even harder. Knowing he was in pain.

"Isn't there people who can help you?" Coleen asked.

"No. Trust me. I've thought about it." She said, looking from side to side anxiously, "You should get going." She said as Coleen nodded.

"I'm sorry this is the way it is." Coleen shook her head as AJ just looked at her and nodded, not knowing what to say, instead she just looked on at Raimy, the most beautiful, precious little angel she'd ever saw. No matter what her circumstance, knowing that her daughter was alive and well, in the safe arms of her father, it was all she could hope for at this point.

Coleen was about to leave when AJ called her back, "Coleen." AJ said as Coleen nodded and turned back around as AJ got closer to her.

"Don't fucking touch my husband again." AJ looked her in the eye as Coleen looked back, nodding slowly and walking away down the lane to put Raimy in her stroller and leave.

AJ watched as they disappeared, running her hand through her hair and sighing, turning around and leaning her forehead against the wall. She felt like her life had gone full circle. She was back to working for people. Working jobs. Being that assassin. Only this time… she missed her family.

* * *

"You get what you needed?" Punk asked, walking into the kitchen later on where Coleen was making dinner, "At the store?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, diapers are up in the nursery. Formula in the cupboard." She pointed as Punk nodded, "Maybe you should take a break from working. You're gonna exhaust yourself." She said.

"I'm already exhausted." Punk shrugged, "How was the fresh air?" He asked her.

"The fresh air was good. Raimy needs more of it." Coleen said, turning around and looking over to him, "I was thinking maybe it's time that I… I move out." She said, "I can't sleep on your couch forever and you and Raimy need some time on your own I think."

"I appreciate your help here." Punk told her, "You're not a burden." He reminded her, "You've been a great help for me." He told her as Coleen just smiled and nodded.

"That's not really the point, though." Coleen said.

"Can I show you something?" He asked her as Coleen looked at him worriedly.

"Y-Yeah." She said, following him as he headed upstairs and into his office, "If it's work related I'll have no clue." She laughed a little.

"The day April was stuck in the elevator, there was no one in the controls room." Punk said, "There's always at least two people there." He said, "So I thought that was weird." He said as Coleen looked on at all the papers scattered on his desk, "And then it got really weird because… the fire department was called from a payphone outside the building, and it was called before the elevator got stuck." He said, looking across at Coleen, "I know you're gonna call me crazy but… I think someone was trying to kill April." He nodded as Coleen looked at him, rubbing the back of her neck and shaking her head.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Phil?" Coleen asked, "The elevator was poorly maintained. It got stuck but here's the thing… April was having pregnancy complications no matter where she was. And the payphone thing… maybe you got your times mixed up and someone ran out to use the payphone after they heard it was stuck." Coleen said, "This isn't going to help you." She said. It was even harder to assure him now when she was straight up lying to him.

"Pregnancy complications? She was completely fine up until that day. That one day and everything went to shit." He said, "It's just not right." He shook his head.

"Don't obsess with this. April is gone. This doesn't bring her back." She shook her head, "I'm gonna start looking at places for me to stay."

"Why? Raimy needs you here." Punk said, "I can't do it on my own."

"Maybe you could if you stopped looking at all of this and actually paid attention to her." Coleen said as Punk looked across at him, "She's your main priority."

"I know she is." Punk said, "But… she still needs you. You're great with her. I don't think I can do this on my own." He said as Coleen looked across at him.

"If I stay will you promise to quit all of this and just let it go?" Coleen asked as Punk looked at all the paper work and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll… I'll let it go." Punk nodded.

"Ok." Coleen said. She was equally as tired, now more than ever because she was keeping a secret, "I'm gonna go shower. Raimy should be down for the night." She nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, watching her leave the office and close the door behind her as he sat back down behind his desk, pulling out more paper work that he'd been using.

He believed someone had killed his wife. He wouldn't be convinced otherwise. This was where his focus was.


	48. Suspicions

**Suspicions**

* * *

"How are things?" Eve asked, sitting with Punk in a coffee shop, holding Raimy after not seeing her for a little while. Her, Dean and Seth had all been great with visiting and helping out as much as they could. He felt lucky to have his friends through the past couple of weeks.

"Uh… fine." Punk nodded, running his hand over his face.

"You look tired." Eve said, looking across at him whilst holding Raimy's hand, "Are you sleeping?"

"A little." Punk said as Eve nodded.

"Is this little one keeping you awake?" Eve smiled, looking down at Raimy, stroking her little cheek softly.

"No, she's not doing anything wrong." Punk said, "It's me who can't sleep. She's… she's an angel." Punk nodded, "I've been burying my head in work. It's probably why I'm tired." He said, rubbing his hand over his face as Eve nodded.

"Well don't tire yourself out like that. Work can always wait." Eve said, "Focus all your attention on this little beauty." She nodded as Punk looked on at Raimy, "How are things with you and Coleen?" She asked.

"We're fine." Punk shook his head, "We just butt heads sometimes."

"That normally doesn't make people kiss." Eve said as Punk just rolled his eyes.

"Wish I never told you that now." Punk shook his head, "It was dumb. Don't worry I feel like an idiot for it. I just felt lonely and so did she. She's lost her sister. I've lost my wife. It just happened. We know it was stupid." He said, "She keeps saying she's gonna move out but I don't want her to." He said.

"Why not?" Eve asked, "That might be best."

"She's good with Raimy. I don't think I can take care of her on my own." Punk said.

"Yes you can. I know you can." Eve said.

"Then maybe I don't want to live in the silence." Punk said, "I don't want to be completely alone." He shook his head.

"You're not alone." Eve shook her head, looking down at Raimy as Punk looked on, "She's gonna be your best friend." She nodded as Punk just smiled softly.

"Eve." Punk said as Eve looked up, "I think April was murdered." He nodded as Eve tilted her head a little.

"She got… stuck in the elevator… there was something wrong with her, with the pregnancy… she wasn't murdered." Eve shook her head.

"Just… hear me out." Punk said, "You know that someone, either one or two people are always in the control room. They have to be. When I went in there was nowhere there. It was just abandoned." He said as Eve looked at him sympathetically.

"That doesn't mean that AJ was murdered." Eve said.

"No, but then I saw that the phone call to the fire department was made form a payphone outside of the building, and it was made before the elevator got stuck." He said, "I mean that's completely suspicious. It's like it was set up."

"Phil." Eve shook her head, "Stopping an elevator doesn't murder someone. The thing that murdered AJ was the…" She looked down at Raimy. It felt so cruel to blame the most innocent thing in the situation, but it was true, "AJ's pregnancy was what killed her. That's not murder." She said, "Stop this. She's gone. Something tragic happened to her and she's gone." She nodded as Punk leaned back on his chair, running his hand through his hair as Punk just shook his head.

"She was fine." Punk said, "Her entire pregnancy she was fine. She was happy. She was glowing. She was comfortable." He said, "It was that day that everything went to shit. Everything went wrong."

"That can happen with a pregnancy. It can change very quickly." Eve said, "Why? What are you insinuating? Someone gave her something? Poisoned her or something?" She shook her head as Punk just looked at her, "Phil." Eve realised he was being serious.

"We drove and stopped in at a hotel. I've been remembering back to it. That day feels like a blur but I'm trying my hardest to remember it all. She was fine up until the morning we left the hotel to finish the rest of the journey. She was complaining about feeling sick, uncomfortable… she said there wasn't pain but… I mean clearly she wasn't feeling great." Punk nodded.

"Phil, you're just torturing yourself with this. You really are." Eve said, "This won't do you any good." She said, "For your own good you need to stop." She nodded as Punk just looked at her.

"She was fine." He whispered.

 _Punk woke up from napping in the hotel bedroom. He couldn't even remember crashing out but he assumed he must have been pretty tired. He turned around and noticed he was napping along and got a little anxious._

" _Ape?" He called, sitting up on the bed._

" _In the bathroom." AJ said as Punk stood up and walked ahead into the bathroom, pausing at the door when he saw she was in the bath tub. She had a lot of bubbles in the bath but he could see her pregnant belly sticking out a little, which made him smile._

" _How long you been in there?" Punk smiled, sitting down on the closed toilet seat._

" _Long." AJ nodded, "You'll laugh if I tell you why." She said as Punk shook his head with confusion, "I'm stuck." She whispered as Punk smiled and looked at her._

" _You're stuck?" Punk nodded._

" _Yeah." AJ said, "I can't get out. I'm too big." She said as Punk smiled and nodded._

" _Why didn't you wake me? Call on me?" Punk asked with confusion._

" _I knew you were tired." AJ said, "I didn't want to disturb you. Plus, I was relaxing anyway." She nodded._

" _So how long have you actually been in there?" Punk laughed a little._

" _About an hour." AJ said as Punk shook his head._

" _And you want to come out now?" Punk questioned as AJ nodded, "Ok." He said, standing up, extending his two hands as she took them._

 _He pulled her up steadily and helped her out of the bed as she held onto his arms. She was protective over herself and he knew it was for the baby._

" _Here." He said, extending her the towel by the radiator as she smiled and took it from him._

" _Where would I be without you? Pulling me out of the bath when I get stuck." She teased as Punk smiled._

" _Is this a flash forward into our life in fifty years?" Punk said as AJ laughed._

" _I think it'll be the other way around." AJ said as he smiled and nodded._

" _You're probably right." Punk nodded, helping her get dried, "We'll have each other, though. That's all that matters." He said as she smiled and nodded._

" _Yeah." She nodded, "I don't feel like going out. Why don't we order room service?" She asked him as he nodded._

" _Sounds good to me." He smiled, leaning down and kissing her softly as she kissed back, cupping his cheeks, deepening the kiss as he took her hands from his face, "This only works a few ways now until we get that baby out of you." He said as she nodded and smiled._

" _Show me how it works then?" She bit her lip, taking his hand and pulling him into the room, pulling him onto the bed as he got behind her, stripping his clothes off._

 _She backed herself into him, her back pressing against his chest as he parted her folds and played with her for a little while, kissing her neck as she moaned out, before he lifted her leg a little and pushed himself inside of her._

" _Mmm… fuck." AJ moaned, stretching her hand behind her and cupping his face softly as he buried his face in her half wet hair, "Yes, baby." AJ whispered in bliss, letting him take her away into a different world, like only he could._

* * *

"Hey, how did it go with Eve?" Coleen asked after getting home, walking into the living room where Punk was feeding Raimy.

"Yeah, it was ok." Punk shrugged, "How'd the interview go?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Good, I think. For someone who has absolutely no credentials, no skills… I think I might be in with a chance." She nodded.

"You don't need school to be smart and have common sense." Punk reminded her, "Look at your sister. Smartest person I'll ever know with not a single grade or diploma to her name." He shrugged as Coleen nodded and smiled.

"Well it's only a waitressing job but… I can't sit and do nothing anymore." Coleen shrugged.

"A job is a job." Punk nodded.

"How is she?" Coleen asked, taking her coat off, walking over and sitting down beside him as she looked on at Raimy who was having her bottle.

"She's good." Punk smiled, "Smiling for Eve." He nodded.

"She smiles for everyone." Coleen smiled, caressing the back of Raimy's head softly, "Are you sure you really want me to stay here?" She asked him as he nodded.

"Yeah, I do." Punk nodded, "Not just because you're good with Raimy or it's an extra pair of hands to help me with her but… I don't think I could stand the silence or… being alone. My own thoughts would drive me insane." He said as she nodded, "As my sister-in-law." Punk made clear, "I want you to stay." He said as Coleen nodded.

"Yeha." Coleen said, "Ok." She nodded. She felt awful that she was holding information that could stop all of his pain in a heartbeat, but she was loyal to her sister, loyal to the situation, and she was playing her part. She wasn't sure what her big sister was involved in but she knew it wasn't anything to be playing games with. She was doing what she was told.

"I told Eve about my theory. About AJ being murdered." Punk said, "She thinks I'm losing my mind." Punk shrugged.

"Well it sure sounds like it." Coleen said, "No one tried to murder her." Coleen shook her head. Yet she was impressed that Punk had picked up on something being not quite right with AJ's death. He was a smart man. She knew that.

"I don't know. I just feel like it's… it's too tragic just to be a pregnancy complication. She went through so much." He said, "To die from that just seems… wrong." He said as Coleen looked at him.

"I think now might be the time that you tell me more about her. Like why she was in prison, and all the other stuff I have a feeling you're hiding from me." Coleen said, "I was her sister and I was supposed to get to know her. Now that can't happen but… you can still tell me about her." She said.

"Some things you're probably better off not knowing." Punk admitted.

"I don't care. I'm not gonna rat her out. What difference would it make anyway? I want to know her story. She never got to tell me but… you can." Coleen said as Punk looked at her and nodded.

"Go grab yourself a coffee. We'll be here a while." Punk nodded as Coleen stood up and left the living room whilst Punk continued to feed Raimy, getting lost in her eyes just like her mothers.

* * *

"Whiskey?" Johnny smiled, popping off the cap of a glass bottle, pouring himself a glass as AJ stood in front of him.

"I don't drink." AJ shook her head.

"I'll pour you one anyway." Johnny shrugged, pouring her a whiskey in a separate glass, "Did you do what I asked you?" He asked her as AJ nodded.

"He's dead." AJ nodded.

"And not a word about it." Johnny smiled, "I wish I hired you twenty years ago." He chuckled to himself.

"Hired me? I wasn't aware this was employment. If so… where is my money?" AJ stared at him as Johnny smiled.

"You'll get rewards. Trust me." Johnny nodded, "I'm aware the job was in Chicago… I trust you didn't do anything stupid-"

"If you're talking about going to see my husband… no, I didn't." AJ said.

"Good. Because you know what happens if you do." Johnny looked at her.

"I do but… either way, if you go near him, if you go near my sister… I'll kill you." She said calmly.

"And I believe that." Johnny nodded, "So let's hope it doesn't have to get to that." He said as AJ nodded, "I have another job for you." He said as AJ nodded, "A place you know oh so well." He said, sliding over a folder on the desk as AJ walked forward and opened it up.

"I'm not going back into prison." AJ closed the folder and folded her arms.

"You are." Johnny nodded, "Not to kill anyone, just to… get a few answers for me. The wife of a Russian mob leader is in for five years. Get close to her. Get answers for me." He said, "And you'll be straight out." He nodded, "Come on. This stuff is normal to you."

"I gave birth three months ago." AJ said, "Forgive me if I don't feel like a spring chicken again." She said as he nodded.

"Ralph said you're healed and you're fine." Johnny shrugged.

"Ralph is a pain in the ass." AJ shrugged.

"We can both agree on that." Johnny nodded, topping his whiskey up.

"Why do you work here in Germany?" AJ questioned.

"This is where my company is. Whiskey. A thing of beauty." Johnny smiled.

"How a small man with such a small company can have so many enemies is… beyond me." She folded her arms as Johnny smiled and nodded.

"Prison in three days. Prepare yourself. I'll get you in and out with no issues. I'll prep you, let you know which guards to go to, guards who will know what's going on." Johnny said as AJ just nodded, "I do need a job done tonight." He said, taking a gun from the inside of his coat, sliding it over the desk, along with a piece of paper with an address.

"You're full of surprises." AJ said, picking the gun up and looking at it.

"I know you like surprises." Johnny nodded, "Have fun." He raised his glass, nodding to the one he had poured her.

AJ looked at the whiskey, picking the glass up and surveying it before raising it to her lips and swinging it back, putting the glass back down and tucking the gun into her pocket.

"Anything else?" AJ questioned.

"It wouldn't hurt you to smile." Johnny shrugged.

"Go fuck yourself." AJ rolled her eyes, turning around and leaving the room as Johnny chuckled to himself and smiled.


	49. That Girl Again

**That Girl Again**

* * *

"Why won't you go to sleep tonight?" Punk asked as he picked Raimy up from her crib in the middle of the night. For some reason she wouldn't settle, but he suppose that was the joys of parenthood to new-born babies. The unpredictability.

"Huh? What's wrong, sweet girl?" Punk whispered, walking out of her nursery and into his bedroom, "You having bad dreams?" He asked her as she seemed to calm down. She definitely liked to be held and fussed over. That was obvious already.

He walked over to his bed, getting back in under the covers and sitting against the headboard whilst holding her steady in his arms, looking down at her little angel face as it stared at him.

"You're so beautiful." Punk nodded, taking her hand between his thumb and forefinger, "Your mom was beautiful." He nodded, leaning down and kissing her hand, "I can't feel it, Raimy." He sighed to himself, bouncing her lightly to get her back to sleep.

He didn't notice it but… he was starting to become comfortable as a father. Things he had to really think about before when he'd just brought her home was now things that came second nature to him. He'd learned as he went along and now things just felt natural.

"I can't feel that she's gone." Punk shook his head, looking down at her, noticing her little eyes tired and fluttering back and forth, causing him to smile, "She would have loved you." He sighed, "And she would have been the best mom." He nodded. He was certain of it. It broke his heart that she never got a chance.

"Phil." Coleen knocked on his door, walking on in as Punk was getting to his feet.

"Shh." Punk said softly, "I just got her back to sleep." He told her as she nodded, "You ok?" He asked her, walking on out of the bedroom as Coleen followed him.

"Yeah, I… I heard her crying but I didn't know you had her." Coleen nodded, standing at the doorway of the nursery, watching him as he put Raimy into her crib. He'd definitely come a long way. The first few weeks he wasn't really attending to Raimy at all. He stayed in his room. In his bed. But slowly but surely he was taking his role back up.

"She's just been a little unsettled tonight." Punk shook his head, stroking Raimy's cheek as he leaned over the crib, moving her teddy bears out the way into the corners of the crib, "She has too many stuffed animals." He shook his head as Coleen smiled.

"Not enough." Coleen disagreed as Punk turned around, "I can't sleep either." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Thinking about April?" Punk asked her as she nodded.

"I mean talk about… not knowing someone… at all." Coleen shook her head, "I thought my life was terrible." She said.

"She'd be mad at us for saying she had a terrible life. Because she was happy. She's been happy for three years." Punk said, walking out of the nursery, closing the door over a little behind him and standing in the hallway.

"It's just not what I expected." Coleen said. Punk had sat down and told her all about AJ's life, from her time in prison after killing her ex, to working for Russian Intelligence. Coleen had a hunch about some of it as she was aware of why AJ was gone and working for people across the country, but now it just made a little more sense. It broke her heart to know such a secret, but yet still not know who her sister really was.

"Well it's how we met." Punk said.

"You must have changed her." Coleen smiled as Punk shook his head.

"No, she just let her guard down." Punk nodded, "She found a safe place. Not a place she was scared of or had to run from. She found a home." He said as Coleen smiled.

"And you gave her that." Coleen said as Punk just nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." Punk realised, "I'm gonna head back to bed. If she wakes again don't worry, I'll hear her and get her." He nodded.

"Yeah, ok." Coleen nodded, "Goodnight." She said as Punk nodded, walking back into his bedroom and closing the door over as Coleen made her way back downstairs.

She sat back down on the couch, reaching over for her sweater and digging into the pocket as she took out the letter. The letter which she had received from AJ a few weeks ago. The letter that made her realise she was still alive somehow. At first she thought someone was playing with her, messing with her emotions, but with the letter came a picture of AJ holding up a newspaper with a recent date on it. She couldn't believe it. And then there was the letter itself.

 _Coleen,_

 _I know this letter seems to becoming from beyond the dead but I'm not dead. I can't give too many details other than my past has come back to bite me. Do not show this letter to Phil under any circumstance. I was told my baby died but I know that isn't true. I know I had a baby girl and I know she's healthy and safe. I want to meet her. Please bring her to the address I've put at the bottom of the page, on the given date and time. On the street you'll find a side lane. I'll be in there._

 _I know you've got to be confused and you'll want to tell someone about this but you can't. It could make things a lot worse. Just know I'm safe._

 _April_

Coleen sighed as she looked at the letter and remembered the meeting she'd had with AJ. She didn't know what her sister had gotten herself into but she knew it couldn't have been good. It was horrible not being able to tell anyone about it.

* * *

"You'll be out in five days." Johnny nodded, sitting at the back entrance of the prison in the car with AJ, "That should be enough time to get some information." He said as AJ leaned back on the seat and looked on at the prison.

"You're gonna answer me a few questions before I go into this place." AJ shook her head as Johnny turned to her.

"Ask away." Johnny nodded.

"How long have I to stay dead for?" AJ questioned as Johnny smiled a little, looking out of the windscreen.

"How long do people normally stay dead for?" Johnny turned back to her as AJ gulped.

"You expect me to stay away from my husband forever?" AJ questioned as Johnny nodded.

"C'mon, you weren't really about that domesticated life, were you?" Johnny asked, "This is the life you should be living. A life you're good at. A life that gives you purpose." He nodded, "You're talented and smart and you want to spend your time just being somebody's wife? C'mon."

"So you want me to stay here and work for you for… forever?" AJ questioned.

"Asked and answered." Johnny smiled and nodded.

"How'd you pull it off?" AJ asked, "Faking my death?"

"I'm smart. We have that in common." Johnny nodded.

"I know it was all down to you now." AJ said, "You made me go into labour. Well… someone who works for you." She said, "When I was at the hotel, someone must have put something in my drink or my food." AJ nodded, "And then someone must have… stopped the elevator, just so I could bleed out enough to lose my baby." AJ turned to him. She knew her daughter was alive. If she wasn't, the man sitting beside her would be as good as dead, but she was playing the part, just like she used to, "And then you made sure my husband picked a funeral parlour that you own I presume… so you could switch my body out." She said as Johnny smiled.

"You see… you're smart." Johnny smiled.

"I'm not staying here forever. I don't work for you. I've never worked for anyone." AJ made clear.

"You worked for Adrien." Johnny said.

"He gave me an immunity deal from prison, that's why. You're giving me nothing." AJ said.

"I'm giving you a good life, sweetheart. I've gave you a lovely apartment. I've welcomed you into my family. You have to be special to be welcomed into my family." He nodded as AJ just rolled her eyes, looking out of the window onto the prison.

"This won't be forever." AJ hummed as Johnny grabbed her wrist.

"This will be for as long as I say-"

Before Johnny could finish his sentence AJ reached forward into the glove compartment, grabbing the gun out, climbing over him and pointing the gun up at his chin.

"You're cliché. Hiding a gun in your front compartment. Everyone does it." AJ said, straddling his hips, pushing the gun up at his throat as Johnny smiled and loosened his grip on her wrist.

"I apologise." Johnny nodded as AJ looked at him.

"I'm not a puppet." AJ spat, "I don't do something just because you tell me to. Let's get that straight." She said as Johnny nodded, "And you don't get to tell me my worth." She hissed.

A part of her did feel like that girl again. That girl on the run. Looking for her home. That girl before she met her husband.

"Ok." Johnny nodded, intimidated for sure.

"Assure me that my family will be safe." AJ said, "That you won't harm them in any way. Because if you do. I will fucking kill you." She nodded, "And I won't be nice about it. I'll cut off your fingers, and your toes, and your tongue, your ears…. Until you're just tiny little pieces I can scatter." She spat, her face nearly touching his as he looked up at her.

"Your family… as in… your sister and your husband… they won't be harmed." Johnny said.

"And my friends." AJ spat, "At the CIA. You don't go near them or their families." She said. She knew the type of man he was.

"Hey, I'm only out to get those who have wronged me. I'm not interested in anyone else." He said as AJ looked at him.

"Good. Because I will kill you." She promised calmly as Johnny nodded.

AJ loosened her force of the gun against his throat, pulling it back as she felt him hard through his pants.

"You have a wife." AJ spat, getting off of him, throwing the gun back in the compartment and sitting back on the passenger's seat, "You're disgusting." She told him as Johnny just chuckled.

"I have five minutes." He smirked, taking her hand and putting it over his crotch as she snatched her hand back.

"I'd rather go into this prison." AJ spat, opening the car door.

"I'll see you in five days." Johnny smiled as AJ got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

He watched as she walked on down to the waiting guard, undoing his pants and stroking himself up and down as he watched her walk away.

AJ walked on into the prison she was escorted into and began to get processed, stripping her clothes off as she was inspected in places. There was a time where things like this didn't phase her but after finding her home, finding her family, she was uncomfortable and for the first time in her life, she wanted rescued.

"You're taking your time." AJ spat, bent over the silver table in the processing room, her pants around her ankles as she was inspected, "Enjoying yourselves?" AJ looked at the guards standing around, suddenly feeling one of the bats hit her on the leg.

She groaned angrily, straightening back up and pulling her underwear and pants back up, turning around to the woman officer whilst buttoning her pants back up.

"I like it a little rougher." She shrugged, watching the guard beside her take out her bat, hitting her across the face with it as AJ fell to the ground, feeling the blood run down the side of her face. Pain was something she knew all too well to care about, "That's better." AJ whispered.

"Get up!" The prison officer yelled in German as AJ struggled to her feet, being grabbed by two of the officers and escorting her out of the processing room and to her cell.

AJ looked around at her surroundings, scanning her whereabouts. It didn't look much better than the Russian prison she had been in, and the guards appeared to act the exact same.

She was put in her cell, pushed into the small space with the door locked behind her as she stood in the centre of the small room, rubbing the blood from her cut open head, sitting down on the bed and sighing. She felt like her life had come in full circle. She was back where she started.


	50. Down Low

**Down Low**

* * *

"I have my first shift will… will you be ok?" Coleen asked, walking into the kitchen where Punk was sitting feeding Raimy whilst looking through some files at the kitchen table.

"Coleen, I'm a grown man."

"You have… ketchup down your t-shirt." Coleen pointed out as Punk looked down.

"What's your point?" Punk grumbled as Coleen just smiled, "We'll be fine. Go… go enjoy your first shift. Make friends. Live your life. I'll be fine." He assured her as Coleen smiled and nodded.

"Ok." Coleen said. In a way, AJ leaving had really helped her in certain aspects. It meant she had to quickly grow up and move on from her own past, so she could be there for Punk and be there for her niece. She felt like she'd come a long way for sure, "I have my phone if there is anything you need." She said as Punk just nodded.

"We'll be fine." Punk nodded.

"Ok." Coleen said, walking over to them, leaning down and kissing Raimy on the head, "Bye, sweet girl." She smiled, looking at Punk and nodded, "I'll see you later."

"See you later." Punk said, watching as she left the kitchen and headed out of the house for her first shift at the bar she was working.

He looked down at Raimy who was hungrily taking her bottle, her small hand curving around the bottle as he smiled, "You're hungry tonight. You don't normally take it all on the one go." He noticed, "Does that mean you're gonna give me a nice diaper later?" He asked, "Huh?" He smiled, tapping her nose softly as she scrunched it up a little.

Punk turned his attention back to the paper work out in front of him, looking at the pictures of the CCTV in the CIA building from the day AJ got stuck. He had shots of different frames in the CCTV footage and was trying to narrow it down to who was in the control rooms that day. He found it oddly coincidental that he didn't recognise the two men who were there. The two men who left just seconds after the elevator allegedly got stuck.

"What do you think, Raims?" Punk asked, "Strange, huh?" He said.

Whilst he cradled her with his arm, he picked up his phone and dialled a number, putting it to his ear as he looked at the pictures.

"Hey, it's Phil Brooks." Punk said when the other line picked up, looking down at Raimy, "Yeah, I'm holding up fine." He sighed, "Listen, I'm gonna send you through some frames, can you give me the specs for the guys in them?" Punk asked, "Thank you." He nodded.

* * *

"You look like shit." Johnny shook his head, watching as AJ returned to his car after being in prison for five days. One side of her face was all black and yellow with bruising, she had a limp and her wrist was bandaged up.

"Would you believe I've looked worse?" AJ asked him, getting into the car and sighing to herself, "German women aren't as pleasant as Russians." She said, feeling discomfort when she sat down as she sighed to herself, "Take me back to my apartment, I need a shower." She shook her head.

"You'll give me the information first." Johnny said as AJ laughed to herself.

"You'll take me to the apartment, you'll let me shower in peace, and then I'll tell you what I found out." She said, "And if you don't like that set up then just kill me." AJ nodded as Johnny looked at her.

"I don't know how your husband could put up with you." Johnny shook his head, starting the car.

"He didn't fake my death to everyone and kidnap me." AJ said as Johnny smiled and nodded.

"Fair enough." Johnny said, "You didn't kill anyone in there, did you? I know your rep in prisons."

"No. No one is dead." AJ said lifelessly, "Can you just drive and take me to the apartment, please." AJ said tiredly. After taking beatings and fighting like an animal again for five days, especially when she hadn't been used to that sort of behaviour for so long, she needed time on her own, time to sit on the shower floor and think about her husband and daughter.

"Very well." Johnny nodded, pulling away from the prison and driving off as AJ looked out the window, seeing herself in the wing mirror as she saw how badly bruised she was. The pain didn't scare her. It barely even hurt her anymore. But it was a symbol that she was living that life again. That chaotic, unpredictable, terrible life, only this time she just longed for her baby. She longed for her husband. Things she didn't have before.

* * *

"I was scared I got the wrong place." Frankie Andrews said, an old friend of Punk's through the CIA, walking down the hallway in Punk's house.

"Sorry I was putting Raimy down." Punk told him.

"Raimy, huh?" Frankie smiled, "Sweet name."

"My wife picked it." Punk said firmly, "Tea? Coffee?" Punk asked, walking into the kitchen as Frankie followed. Coleen was working another shift at the bar, picking up as many as she could, which meant Punk accepted the visit from his smart tech friend.

"I'm good." Frankie nodded, "Over the phone seemed a little insensitive so… I'm really sorry about your wife. I didn't even know you got married." He shook his head.

"It was a really small wedding." Punk said, "Like, a couple of people." He nodded.

"Right." Frankie said, "I just… I can't imagine how you feel, man. Anything I can do." Frankie said as Punk nodded.

"You can tell me who those guys were that I sent you pictures of." Punk said, sitting down at the table as Frankie sat across. They worked together in the academy and shared some great times together as youngsters. Frankie worked down low for the FBI now whilst Punk continued to pursue his time with the CIA. They were still in contact at times.

"Ok so… not to disappoint but I actually got nothing on them, which is not like me but… they're pretty hard to trace for some reason." Frankie said.

"So that's gotta mean that… they don't work for CIA. If they did their profile would come up, right?" Punk asked.

"Right." Frankie nodded, "They definitely don't work for CIA." Frankie said as Punk nodded.

"I knew it." Punk said, running his hand through his hair.

"Phil, can I ask what this is about?" Frankie asked as Punk looked across at him.

"My wife she got… stuck in an elevator, and she was bleeding…" Punk shook his head, "At first I thought sure, it's a freak accident. A tragic, awful accident." He sighed, "But… these guys were in the control room before it got stuck and after… they're nowhere to be seen, and yeah I haven't saw those guys in the building before in my life." Punk nodded.

"You think this was a set-up? You think someone tried to kill her?" Frankie asked as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I do." Punk nodded, "The call to the fire department came before the elevator got stuck too so… that tells me that whoever called knew that the elevator was gonna get stuck that day." He said, "Tell me I'm not crazy. I've spoken to Eve about it, my sister-in-law… they look at me like I have two heads." He shook his head with frustration.

"Well if the call came before the lift got stuck, and these guys aren't with CIA and they were in the control room… I mean maybe we gotta look at some things." Frankie nodded as Punk sighed with relief.

To have someone just agree with him, to make him not feel crazy, it was the best thing.

"I could kiss you." Punk nodded as Frankie laughed.

"Don't." Frankie said as Punk just looked at the papers in front of him, "Who would want to kill your wife?" He shook his head.

"I don't know." Punk said. Of course he knew things about AJ that no one else did and he couldn't exactly talk about them. Whether she was dead or not, he wouldn't never disrespect his wife's trust that she had with him.

"You want me to look into these guys? See if I can find them?" Frankie asked as Punk nodded.

"If you don't mind." Punk nodded.

"I don't. I just… I hope you're not making yourself ill with this. We all grieve in different ways. I know that… you're way of grieving is clearly putting all your focus into something, becoming obsessed with it-"

"I've done my grieving." Punk said, "Didn't come out my room for a month." He said, "So… I think this might be a little healthier." He nodded.

"Hey, I'll help you. I just wanna know why you've not asked the usual team? The squad?" He smiled, "Dean, Seth, Eve?"

"Well they're in Virginia and they… they'd probably talk me out of it." Punk shook his head, "They'd make me doubt myself and I can't doubt this right now." He said.

"They're good friends. They care about your sanity." Frankie said.

"You hate them." Punk laughed a little.

"Because they stole my best friend from me." Frankie said, "I can still be bitter." He nodded.

"That's like high school stuff." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Still hurt." Frankie said, "They're a good bunch, though. And I was going onto different things anyway. They were probably there for you way more than I was." He admitted.

"Yeah, they were" Punk nodded.

"Well then I'll make it up to you and I'll do my best to get information on those guys. I can also try and figure out how they got into CIA building. Don't you need a pass?"

"Yeah. You do." Punk said, "Keep this on the down low. I don't need anyone else finding out about it."

"You got it." Frankie nodded as they heard someone come into the house, "I'll get going."

"Yeah, don't say anything to her." Punk said strictly whilst clearing all the paper work as Coleen came through to the kitchen after her shift.

"Oh, hey." Coleen nodded, "I didn't know you were having visitors." She said.

"Well me neither." Punk smiled, "Frankie's an old friend." He nodded.

"I see." Coleen smiled.

"I was just going." Frankie stood up, "Keep your chin up, man." He nodded to Punk who just looked at him, "It was nice to meet you." He nodded to Coleen before walking out of the kitchen and leaving the house.

"Old friend?" Coleen asked.

"Yeah, I worked with him in the academy. We were good friends." Punk nodded.

"Why was he here?" Coleen asked.

"Just to see how I was doing." Punk said, "How was your shift?"

"It was ok. I'm not really a fan of this working thing, to be honest." She said, getting a bottle of water from the fridge as he laughed a little.

"I don't think most people are." Punk said.

"I do feel grateful that I can experience working, though. I could be still… chained to a bed right now." She shook her head. She was incredibly grateful for her life, despite the chaos it seemed to be in at the minute.

"Well that life is behind you." Punk nodded.

"It's always there." Coleen disagreed, "Just gets easier, I guess." She nodded, "How is Raimy?"

"She's good. Went down fine." Punk said, "You want to… take her to the park tomorrow?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, of course." Coleen said, "Where will you be?" She asked him.

"Uh… at the park with you, if I'm allowed." He chuckled a little as Coleen raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, I didn't think you meant… right." Coleen nodded, "Don't you have work to do?" She asked.

"I got a spare couple of hours." Punk nodded, "Plus… we can get that fresh air you love so much." He said as Coleen smiled and nodded.

"It's my favourite thing." She said as Punk smiled and stood up.

"You ate?" Punk asked her as she shook her head, "Good, I was gonna order a pizza." He told her.

"We can just cook something." Coleen scoffed.

"I want pizza." Punk nodded, "I'll get the usual." He said, brushing by her, touching her arm comfortingly as she looked at him, watching as he left the kitchen.

She brushed her hand over where he had touched, of course he made the gesture in a friendly way. It felt wrong and so awful that she was looking at him in a way that sisters don't look at their brothers.


	51. Wrong

**Wrong**

* * *

"April, open up." Johnny knocked at the door of AJ's apartment, which he of course paid for.

AJ was laying on top of the bed, which was normally what she was doing if she wasn't doing a job for her new employer. She got up from the comfortable sheets and walked out of the bedroom, making her way over to the door and opening it up.

"What?" AJ opened up the door.

"Good morning to you too." Johnny scoffed, walking into the apartment, "Your face doesn't seem to be getting any better." He noticed as AJ still had bad bruising down the side of her face.

"Well, that's what happens when you spend some time in a female German prison." AJ said, "Girls fight with more passion. More hatred." She nodded.

"As long as you can cover it up." Johnny said as AJ folded her arms and looked across at him.

"And why have I to cover it up?" AJ questioned.

"There's a party tonight. A family party. I'd like you to come. Wear something pretty." Johnny nodded.

"I don't do parties." AJ said, walking away from him and into the bedroom as Johnny smiled and nodded, following her into the bedroom.

"Well you will now." Johnny said, "I have a big family. Our whiskey company is now plummeting in the stock market… we have reason to celebrate, and it's because of you. Getting that information from the mob's wife was essential. You deserve to let your hair down." He said as AJ shook her head.

"If you want to reward me you'll let me have a night by myself, on my own." AJ said as Johnny sighed.

"No can do. I want you at the party." Johnny said, "I'll have someone send you a dress." He nodded.

"I can't even pick a dress?" AJ questioned.

"No, I'd like to." Johnny said, "And I hope you'd make an effort to cover your bruising. It's a formal party. Important people will be there."

"People who are important to you aren't important to me." AJ told him truthfully, "And then what? What's my next job?" She questioned.

"I'll give you it when I'm ready." Johnny nodded, "It's not all going to be physically challenging. Think of your job as more of a spy than an assassin." He said.

"Oh, yeah. You've won me over." AJ nodded, sitting down on the bed and wincing a little.

"You have too much fun with your cell mate in prison?" He teased as AJ scoffed.

"Don't be ridiculous." AJ said, "You never gave my stitches a chance to heal. You know… from when I had a baby that you ripped me away from." She said.

"You mean your dead baby?" He asked as AJ just nodded to herself.

"I still deserved to see it." AJ told him quietly, playing her part even though she'd held her perfect baby girl, even if it was just for a few short minutes. She saw her precious face every night before she fell asleep.

"Then it would be on your mind forever." Johnny said, "I did you a favour." He said as AJ just looked at him. She knew someone willing to lie about such a thing had to be an evil person. She knew she was dealing with bad people. Bad people who somehow cherished her in ways.

"Well when I went into prison my stomach was… bad." AJ said, "I saw the doctor but they didn't do anything about it."

"I'll send Ralph in to have a look." Johnny said.

"I'd rather deal with it myself." AJ rolled her eyes.

"I heard whiskey helps." Johnny nodded to her.

"Stop trying to make me drink." AJ spat, "When is your stupid party?" She asked him.

"Tomorrow night." Johnny said, "The dress will be sent to you in the morning. Don't worry. It's not a big deal. There will be kids there. It's a nice thing." He smiled to her.

"Oh, great." AJ nodded sarcastically, "So does that mean I get tonight off?" She asked him hopefully.

"No, I need you to go somewhere for me and pick something up." Johnny said as AJ sighed, rubbing her forehead tiredly and nodding.

* * *

"How is she doing?" Punk asked, sitting in the doctor's office, holding Raimy in his arms as the doctor nodded and smiled.

"She's great." The doctor smiled. Punk was attending the three month check-up with Raimy to make sure everything was going ok with her. So far was so good and that was great to hear, "She's strong and healthy and that's great." The doctor nodded.

"Good." Punk smiled, looking down at Raimy who was awake in his arms but content and happy.

"She seems very happy and content also." The doctor smiled, "Which is great."

"Yeah, well I'm doing my bit, aren't I?" He looked down at Raimy.

"Mr Brooks, I understand your situation… I just want to say there is people out there who you can talk to about anything." She nodded as Punk looked across at her.

"My situation?" Punk asked her.

"With your wife." The doctor nodded, "Raising a newborn through that grief must be hard and… you're just doing a terrific job." She said with admiration as Punk just nodded, accepting the compliments.

"As long as she is healthy and happy… that's all I care about." He nodded, "And I'm… I'm ok. Thank you for the concern but I'm getting by just fine." He said as the doctor smiled and nodded.

"How is she with taking her bottle?" The doctor asked, just asking normal routine questions.

"She's really good. Some reason she only takes half in the morning but she'll look for it a little bit later on. Before I put her down at night she takes the full bottle." Punk nodded, "She's kinda greedy." He admitted as the doctor laughed a little and nodded.

"That's what I like to hear." The doctor nodded, "What about sleeping? Is she waking up often?"

"She has good and bad nights I guess." Punk nodded, "Sometimes she'll sleep right through until 7am which is a blessing. Other times she'll wake at like 3, and then 5, and then 8… it's a little all over the place but I mean… that's normal, right?" He assured himself.

"Completely. She actually sounds like she's sleeping more than a lot of other babies normally do." The doctor said.

"And she smiles all the time." Punk thought he'd add in, just to emphasise that his daughter was healthy and happy. That meant the world.

"Great." The doctor smiled, "Anything in particular she smiles at?" She asked.

"When she's falling asleep, I'll tap her nose or her lip and she immediately cracks up. Her aunt pulls these weird faces and she smiles at that too." Punk nodded.

He realised as he sat in the doctor's office, that fatherhood was really something he was finally catching onto it. It had been difficult adjusting to it without AJ by his side, and whilst grieving like the doctor said, but he felt confident in his skills and he felt a bond so strong with his baby girl. He was proud of how far he'd come in just a short amount of time.

* * *

He finished up in the doctor's office and left, meeting Coleen back outside who had come along with him. They'd decided to go for lunch afterwards, to celebrate the end of Raimy's check-ups.

"So she's all good?" Coleen smiled, sitting in the café at the table, looking over into the stroller beside the table where Raimy was asleep.

"She's good." Punk nodded with relief, "That doctor was really nice." He said as Coleen nodded, "Sometimes I can't judge between people being nice or people feeling sorry for me, though." He admitted.

"I can understand that." Coleen nodded, "People are mostly nice, though." She said as Punk nodded, "At least you don't have to take her back for another check-up."

"Yeah, I'm glad. I would always have these fears that something would be wrong with her every time we went." He shook his head.

"You gotta be more optimistic." Coleen said as Punk looked at her and tilted his head.

"C'mon. My wife dies and you tell me to be optimistic?" Punk asked her as Coleen sighed and nodded.

"Fair enough." Coleen said, "I'm just saying, there can be… light at the end of the tunnel. You've already came such a long way. First month you didn't leave your bedroom. Now look." She said, "It's just gonna take time." She said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk sighed, watching his phone start to ring, looking on as he saw it was Frankie calling him. He turned the phone around and declined it as Coleen looked at him.

"Why are you not answering him?" Coleen shook her head.

"It's rude." Punk shrugged as Coleen tutted.

"Don't give me that." Coleen said as Punk just looked at her and shrugged, "I found your files." She raised a brow as Punk looked across at her, "I wasn't gonna say anything because I thought maybe this was just your way of dealing with things but… now you're getting other people involved with it and you can't… it's gotta stop now." She nodded as Punk just shook his head.

"No. No, I'm onto something here. Someone murdered April. This wasn't an accident, Coleen. Those guys in the control room, Frankie confirmed they don't even work for CIA. He's getting information on them right now." He said, "They deliberately stopped that elevator."

"And did they somehow make AJ go into labour too?" Coleen shook her head, "How do you even explain that?" She asked. It felt so wrong to question him, to try and make him stop when he was swaying towards the right answers.

"Someone must have given her something. When we were at the hotel. Maybe someone was there to… give her something to make her go into labour. To give her the complications she had. The elevator was just to make sure she really… bled out, I don't know." Punk sighed, "All I know is that this wasn't an accident. I mean April had enemies. She wasn't a saint. We know that." Punk nodded.

"This is not going to give you closure, Phil." Coleen shook her head.

"It will. Finding who killed my wife is definitely going to give me closure." Punk said.

"You're looking into things too much. You're gonna make yourself sick." Coleen said, "And you're dragging other people into it too." She shook her head.

"God, you're just like her." Punk sighed, "You gotta be in control of everything around you. You can't just let people do what they wanna do." He said.

"I'm trying to help you." Coleen shook her head, "That's all I've been doing this entire time and I don't think you've asked me once if I'm ok. I lost my sister too." She shook her head as Punk looked across at her, "And this isn't helping anyone."

"Well I'm sorry but I'm not gonna give up on it." He told her honestly, "So you can get on board or you can just… block it out." He said, "If there's one thing I can do for April right now is find out who did this to her and kill them."

"You're not a killer. I know that." Coleen said.

"For whoever killed my wife. Yeah I am." Punk nodded.

"She wouldn't want this." Coleen said, "She'd want you to focus on Raimy."

"Raimy is my focus. My main focus." Punk said, "But I'm not letting this go." He made clear.

"Then I can't stop you clearly." Coleen shrugged, looking across at him as Punk nodded.

"What do you want to eat?" He asked her.

* * *

"She's down." Coleen said, walking into the living room later that night after they had returned home, passing the sound monitor over to Punk who took it from her and nodded. Frankie had called him to tell him he was still looking for the guys in the control room, and that he was having a difficult time finding anything on them. Nevertheless, Punk had patience and was still looking into his own things.

"She go ok?" Punk asked as Coleen sat down beside him and nodded.

"Yeah, she was fine." Coleen said, "I know you're doing what you're doing because you loved her and maybe this is just how you're dealing with things but I just… I don't want to see you become obsessed and lose sense of everything."

"That's not gonna happen." Punk assured her as Coleen nodded, turning around and looking at him as he watched the TV. She'd gotten closer to him. Closer than what she ever would have if AJ was still there. Part of her felt awful for looking at him the way she wasn't supposed to, but he had a kind heart. He was protective and caring and that wasn't something she'd had much of her entire life.

"I'm here for you, you know." Coleen nodded as Punk nodded.

"I know." Punk turned to her and smiled softly, "Thank you." He said as she smiled, looking up at him.

She didn't use her brain or much of any her senses as she leaned forward and kissed him. The previous kiss they shared was a peck, a meaningless, stupid kiss after fighting and being emotional over AJ's supposed death. And although she could see the look her sister gave her when she said they had kissed, she still went in for it again.

Punk wasn't sure what was going on, he was pretty confused as her lips pressed against his. He wasn't sure if he was more taken back by the fact she was so young, or the fact she was AJ's sister.

She climbed over him, cupping his cheeks and deepening the kiss as Punk pulled back and shook his head.

"Get off of me." Punk whispered as Coleen paused, "I said get the fuck off of me." Punk spat after noticing she wasn't moving. He wouldn't put his hands on her and waited for her to move which she did after he raised his voice, "The hell are you playing at?" He stood up, feeling all the more guilty that he had kissed her back for a few foolish seconds. He was blaming his grief because all he could think about those few seconds was AJ. How he missed their kisses.

"S-Sorry I…" Coleen shook her head, not knowing what to say. She wasn't betting on him wanting this but she had to know where she stood with him. Deep down she knew he of course wasn't interested in her that way. She felt awful for the way she felt about him.

"You're… April's sister." Punk shook his head, "You're a kid." Punk cringed.

"I'm 21." Coleen shook her head.

"Yeah, I'm not really close to that age, sweetheart." Punk said, "I'm going to bed." He shook his head, running his hand through his hair and leaving the living room as Coleen sighed to herself, placing her hand over her mouth, not believing her own actions, immediately regretting them on behalf of her sister.


	52. Selfish

**Selfish**

* * *

"Phil." Coleen knocked on the door of Raimy's nursery where Punk was folding up some of her clothes

"I think we should have a bit of space right now, don't you think?" Punk looked over at her

"We live together." Coleen shook her head, "Look, I just wanted to apologise. That was wrong of me to do that." She nodded, "It's just… we miss her and… we're here, raising Raimy-"

"We?" Punk questioned, "You're her aunt." He shook his head.

"Her aunt who is raising her just like you. I do night feeds sometimes. I buy her things. I change her and dress her. I'm in her life just like you and that… that means something." Coleen said.

"Not to me." Punk said, "This shouldn't be your life. You should be out, meeting people, having a good time. You've been trapped for so long in Russia. You deserve to live a little." Punk shook his head.

"I'm happy here." Coleen said, "I feel close to my sister with you and Raimy."

"Close to her when you try and kiss me?" Punk looked over at her.

"You kissed me back." Coleen spat, "But I'm the one to blame."

"I was… confused and shocked…" He shook his head, "You're a young girl. You don't need to be taking care of a baby and getting involved with me." He warned her.

"What? You think I can't handle you?" Coleen had to laugh, "I've had men three times my age strangling me whilst… whilst forcing themselves on me." She said, "I've not known any kind men in my life… not until you." She said.

"And I'm sorry about that but you're gonna meet someone. You're still so young." Punk shook his head, "And you damn well know April would rip your eyes out if she was still here." He shook his head, "She'd rip my eyes out too." He scoffed as Coleen just sighed and nodded.

"I'm not trying to come onto you. I'm just saying… we're going through the same thing and we're pulling together for Raimy and whether you like it or not she's probably gonna grow up with me and you-"

"That doesn't make you her mom." Punk said defensively.

"I know it doesn't. But it makes me something." Coleen said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you. But… we don't deserve to feel guilty for someone who isn't here." She shook her head. She couldn't help it. She wanted him. She felt terrible about it. But it was true what she was saying. She'd never known a man like him. Kind and sweet. So caring. She understood why her sister fell for him.

"I think you should just go to bed." Punk nodded, "And let's forget tonight ever happened." He said as Coleen looked at him and nodded slowly.

"Do you think you'll ever move on?" Coleen asked, wondering if he just didn't find her attractive or if he just wasn't ready. She understood.

"April's been dead 3 months." Punk said, "I'm not thinking about anyone else other than her." Punk shook his head, "You're just a kid." He emphasised.

"No, I'm not. I'm younger but… that doesn't mean I'm a kid." She said, "We're dealing with a lot right now and we're dealing with it together. I'm sorry if I thought we could use each other's comfort."

"It's wrong and it's awful that you don't feel bad." Punk said, "You don't kiss your dead sister's husband." He made clear as Coleen just looked at him.

"Well I care about you." Coleen shrugged.

"No, you don't." Punk rolled his eyes, "Someone will come along, someone who is right for you. And you'll have a good life with them. It's not me. Believe me." Punk nodded.

He wasn't sure if she was just so upset and confused by AJ's death, or if she did really have feelings for him. Either way, the feelings weren't mutual. She was a beautiful young girl and she even had a lot of qualities that AJ had which he loved. But she wasn't April. And it was just wrong. He wasn't thinking about being with anyone else. In his heart, he was still married.

"I'm gonna go to bed then." Coleen said, "Let's just forget tonight happened." She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"I think that's a good idea." He said as she nodded.

"Can I give her a kiss goodnight?" Coleen asked as Punk nodded.

She walked into the nursery, walking over to the crib and leaning over it to say goodnight to an already sleeping Raimy.

Punk watched, putting some baby grows in the dresser under the changing table as Coleen turned back around.

"I'm sorry I thought we could help each other through this." Coleen shrugged as Punk looked at her.

"By sleeping with each other?" Punk questioned, "I wouldn't do that to April."

"April is dead." Coleen said coldly as Punk looked at her. She looked up at him and then brushed by him, walking out of the nursery as Punk shook his head.

* * *

"You look nice." Johnny smiled, handing AJ a whiskey as she had situated herself in the corner of the room, just watching everything go by, hoping she wouldn't be noticed.

"Dress is a little tight." AJ said, taking the glass from him but not drinking it.

"Good. It shows you off." He looked her up and down as AJ rolled her eyes and tutted, "You even managed to cover your face up." He noticed with a smile.

"Well I wanted to avoid the questions, I suppose." AJ shrugged, "And the staring." She said, "Are you going to tell me what this gathering is for?"

"My niece's birthday." Johnny said as AJ laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, right." She scoffed.

"I'm serious." Johnny said as AJ turned to him, "We celebrate big in this family. You work with the company so… that makes you family."

"I have a family." AJ shook her head.

"No you don't. This is our family now." Johnny said.

"Does your family know you're a shady businessman?" AJ asked him as Johnny laughed a little.

"Shady?" Johnny asked, "My family know I do whatever it takes to be successful." He nodded, looking at her.

"Including having me do your dirty work?" AJ questioned, "Or have you told them I'm just a friend of the family?" She asked, "I've been to things like this before." She said.

"No, they know who you are and what you're doing. There are no secrets." Johnny said, "I think you'll come to find you suit this life way more than you did with your husband." He said, "If you give it a chance. It's where you'll thrive."

"You talk so much rubbish." AJ rolled her eyes as Johnny laughed a little, "Go away and leave me alone." She shook her head, "I came to your party but I didn't want you standing by me the entire night."

"I'll be off. But mingle around. Say hi to people. Don't be rude." Johnny told her as AJ just shook her head, watching as he walked off.

She looked at the whiskey in her hand and sighed. She drank it over and sat the glass down over on a side table. She wasn't a drinker. She never saw the point in it but feeling it burn down her throat eased her emotional pain for some reason. It put her in a bubble for a while where she didn't feel.

She looked around the room and to her surprise, it really did look like a warm, fun spirited happy party. She supposed the biggest crime families came from happy families.

"You must be April."

AJ turned around to see the immaculate woman standing, holding a baby, incredibly beautiful, "I'm Teresa. I'm Johnny's wife." She smiled as AJ nodded and raised her eyebrows.

"Hi." AJ nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"My husband talks about you all the time. Says he wish he invested in you a long time ago." Teresa smiled as AJ just laughed a little.

"Invested?" AJ asked, "I'm not… I'm not an object." She made clear.

"Of course not." Teresa smiled, "You're great and my God, you are gorgeous." She looked her up and down, "You have such beautiful eyes." She nodded, cupping her cheek as AJ looked on worriedly, "I like myself a female every now and then." She smirked as AJ just nodded.

"Wonderful." AJ said, "And who is this?" AJ looked at the baby girl in her arms, trying to divert the conversation.

"Oh, my youngest niece. Annabella." Teresa smiled, "You wouldn't mind holding her for just a few minutes whilst I nip to the bathroom. I don't know if it's the heat in here or… you." She laughed, "But I'm having a flush." She admitted, passing the baby over to AJ.

"Oh, no… I really… I can't." AJ shook her head but Teresa put the baby into her arms anyway and walked off.

AJ gulped, holding the baby girl like a football, struggling to find a position to hold her in, taking her time until she got her cradled into her arms, looking down at her as the baby girl looked at her.

"Hi." AJ smiled softly, looking down at the baby girl, sighing to herself, wondering what it would be like to have this sort of love twenty four seven. She thought about Raimy. She was always thinking about Raimy. But now especially. She longed to hold her, fall asleep with her on her chest, feed her, watch her smile. She ached for her baby girl every day, and it only got harder.

"Let's go a little walk, huh?" AJ smiled, bouncing the baby in her arms lightly, walking out of the main living room area with everyone and into the grand entrance, bouncing the baby lightly and humming to her. She was using her motherly instincts that had been cut so abruptly by the separation from her baby. Not having Raimy didn't mean she wasn't a mother anymore.

"Let's go see the stars, huh?" AJ nodded, walking out of the house, stepping out of the doorway and out into the little garden area, looking up at the stars in the sky, "Aren't they pretty?" AJ smiled, looking around the sky, looking back down to the baby who was fast asleep, smiling to herself.

She stayed outside for a little while, enjoying the peace and quiet, enjoying the time with the baby as it fed her motherly instincts for the time being, until she heard a gunshot from inside of the house.

She turned around to the door and rolled her eyes. It wasn't like she didn't see something bad happening with so many people around. It was sad that she wasn't even shocked by these things anymore. It was becoming her life again.

* * *

Punk woke up through the night after tossing and turning for too long. He headed downstairs for a drink, switching the kitchen light on when he jumped and saw Coleen sitting.

"What the fuck are you doing sitting in the dark?" Punk put his hand on his chest.

"I had a headache and I needed some aspirin. I couldn't face the light." Coleen sighed, screwing her face up as Punk reached for water in the fridge, "Why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep." Punk shrugged.

"Because of me?" Coleen asked.

"Don't flatter yourself." Punk scoffed as Coleen shrugged.

"We all deal with things differently." Coleen nodded, "I know you're hurting. You don't deserve to go through this alone. I just… want to be there for you. Is that so wrong?" She asked him as he looked across at her and sighed.

"It's not wrong." Punk nodded, "I appreciate the concern. I've been surrounded by good people throughout all of this and you know what, yeah… you are here raising Raimy with me. I can't deny that." He said, "But you're April's sister." He said, "Whatever you want to happen, it's not going to happen."

"You just need time." Coleen nodded, "You miss her. I miss her." She said as he looked down, rubbing the back of his neck and sighing, "But you're human and unfortunately life carries on. Your daughter is gonna grow up and do you want her to see you alone and unhappy the entire time?"

"She's been gone three months. You're a little girl with a crush. I've lost my wife and I'm trying to raise our baby." Punk said, "That's the difference."

"Stop calling me a little girl. It's getting boring." Coleen shook her head, "I don't have a crush. I just think it… it makes sense. We could give Raimy a family. A steady home." She said as Punk looked across at her, "April would want you to be happy."

"She would not want this, believe me." Punk shook his head, "Coleen, I… I know you're hurting, just like I am, and we're confused and we're trying to figure this out together but… it's not going to happen. I appreciate you putting Raimy first and thinking about her future. You're a great aunt." He made clear, "But you're never gonna be her mom." He said.

"And I'm not trying to be." Coleen stood up, walking over to him, "Don't you want to just disappear sometimes?" She shook her head as Punk looked at her, "Forget about everything?" She asked him, "Because I do." She whispered, looking up at him, standing close to him as he looked down at her, "Forget about all of it. Even if it's just for minutes. Seconds." She said.

"Of course I do." Punk nodded.

"We can." Coleen said, running her hands up his chest as he looked at her, "You can." She said, placing her fingers by the sides of his shorts and boxers.

"What are you doing?" Punk shook his head watching as she sunk down to her knees in front of him. It wasn't a very serious question because he wasn't sure he wanted it answered. The idea of forgetting everything, the way she'd said, sounded so much better than feeling pain. That feeling grief. He knew he'd hate himself after.

"Forget all about it." Coleen shook her head, pulling his shorts and boxers down enough to free his length as Punk leaned back against the kitchen counter. He ran his hand through his slicked hair, closing his eyes over as she began stroking him up and down, eventually using her mouth.

All he could say was, he wasn't thinking about anything. He wanted to think about nothing. As horrible as it sounded, he was in it for himself. He wanted to have a few minutes of feeling absolutely nothing. Of having his head in the clouds.

The ordeal went on for a little longer until Punk found his release. He had no intention of anything else. Selfishly he just cared about himself in that moment, and horribly, it could have been any girl. He felt relieved when he came, having a few seconds of pleasure which took his mind to a different planet. But it didn't last forever.

He opened his eyes, running his hand through his hair as he looked down at her and shook his head.

She stood up straight as he pulled his shorts up, backing away just as she reached out to touch him again.

"You shouldn't have…" Punk whispered tiredly.

"You shouldn't feel guilty." Coleen shook her head, even though she did, she was just taking her opportunity. She couldn't help how she felt.

"Well I do." Punk whispered, taking his bottle of water and leaving the kitchen as Coleen watched him and sighed to herself. Knowing she could stop his heartbreak was horrible but part of her, the twisted, abused and conscious part of her just wanted him to love her, the way he saw he loved her sister.


	53. Not An Accident

**Not An Accident**

* * *

Punk woke up the next morning and showered for an hour. He went to bed with his mind in his mouth. He felt disgusted and guilty, like he really had just cheated. He knew he should have said no but at the time the feeling of not feeling at all was just too tempting. He wasn't sure what Coleen was playing at, but he knew it was a dangerous game.

He got out of the shower and headed into Raimy's room to get her. He changed her diaper and got her into a clean baby grow, lifting her up and taking her back into his room with him.

Last night wasn't even about Coleen. At the time, it could have been any girl who was around him, he just wanted a few minutes to get out of his own head, but the fact it was her just seemed so wrong and cruel. He knew AJ would want him to move on but he knew her well enough to know it wouldn't be with her sister and not this quickly. He was still coming to terms with her death.

He picked his phone from the side of the bed, smiling down at Raimy who was lying on the bed, wriggling her legs and looking around happily. Her little face made everything ok.

He got on the phone, waiting for an answer as he paced the room.

"Eve." Punk said with relief, "Hey, is there any chance you could come to Chicago for the day?" He asked her, "Everything is fine I just… I don't know, I'm having a bit of an off day." He sighed, "Feel like I'm losing my mind." He ran his hand over his face as he listened to Eve.

"Yeah, tonight is perfect." Punk nodded, hanging up on the call. She was his longest best friend, the only person he felt he could truly vent to, and boy did he need to vent.

"Phil." Coleen knocked on the bedroom door as Punk groaned a little, picking up Raimy.

"What?" Punk answered as Coleen opened up the door and walked in.

"Hey, I'm off to work." Coleen said as Punk just nodded, "I think we should talk about last night." She said as Punk shook his head.

"No, I don't think we should. I'm trying to pretend it never happened." Punk told her truthfully.

"You wanted it and you shouldn't feel bad." Coleen said as Punk just shook his head, "You can be upset and find ways to deal with that."

"What the hell is your problem? Are you… Are you asking me to use you or… what? What is it?" He asked with confusion. He couldn't really figure out what she actually wanted or what she was trying to do, "I know you're probably used to guys not treating you with respect, but that's not me. Last night was dumb and I was confused, so were you clearly-"

"I knew what I was doing." Coleen said as Punk just shook his head.

"You know what maybe we should talk about you moving out." Punk nodded, "Because maybe me and you have different ideas about how to grieve over April." He said as Coleen looked at him, "Eve is coming over tonight so-"

"I'm working late anyway." Coleen shrugged, walking over to him and kissing Raimy on the head as the baby girl rested against her father, "I'll see you later on." She said as Punk watched her leave the bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the bed, looking down at Raimy. She was the only thing keeping him sane at the minute.

* * *

"She did what?!" Eve almost squealed, sitting at the kitchen table later on, holding Raimy in her arms of course as she demanded to have a cuddle with her favourite baby girl all whilst Punk told her about what had gone on.

"It's not like I didn't let her." Punk shook his head, "I wanted it." He sighed as Eve looked across at him.

"Do you… do you like her? Like her like her?" Eve raised her eyebrows.

"No, I don't." Punk said, "I'm still thinking about April. It's only been three months. I think Coleen has this idea of… us moving on together and getting through it together. Doing it for Raimy. But she's a young girl and she's April's sister. I just want to be left alone to deal with losing April, on my own." He sighed as Eve nodded.

"Ok, but you can't feel guilty for what happened. I know you're gonna but like you said… you're confused and you're still upset. Sometimes we all just need to get out of our heads. I'm not saying that I think this is a good idea. She's young and she's probably confused but… you don't wanna be taking advantage of a young girl like that-"

"I'm not." Punk made clear, "I think she genuinely has feelings for me, though." He said, weirded out of course, "And I don't know how to handle it."

"Maybe you two living together isn't going to work." Eve said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I said that to her this morning but I can't exactly throw her out. I wouldn't do that." He sighed, "I just feel like my head is constantly spinning and she isn't helping." Punk said, "And I feel like I've just cheated on my wife." He shook his head as Eve frowned.

"April isn't here, Phil." Eve nodded, "And I know that might not mean anything to you in this case, and you still feel guilty but… you've lost her and that must be so painful. You're allowed to make bad decisions right now." She assured him as he sighed.

He needed her to assure him that what he'd done was just down to him grieving, being confused, missing his wife and not knowing what to do. Because that's what it was.

"I get where Coleen is coming from. She's been great with Raimy. She's always taking care of her when I can't, and we have got closer, I know that, I understand her thinking that us taking comfort in each other wouldn't be a terrible thing but it's her sister." Punk shook his head, "It's so wrong and when… last night… I was just thinking about April." He said, "I'm always gonna be thinking about her."

"And you're allowed to." Eve nodded, "It's been a hard couple of months. This that's going on is normal behaviour." She said, "Coleen is uspet, you are upset… the difference between you both is you realise what's going on and that it's not right… she's young and she's probably still haunted by her past." She said, "You gotta be straight with her." She said as Punk nodded.

"I will." Punk said, "And you're gonna want to punch me after I tell you this." He said as Eve looked across at him with confusion.

"What?" Eve shook her head.

"I… I've been working with Frankie Andrews. You remember him?" Punk asked her as Eve nodded.

"Why do I not like where this is going?" Eve said worriedly.

"Eve, the two guys in the control room just before the elevator got stuck… they don't work for CIA. In fact, they're just like ghosts. Frankie has been trying to get specs on them for a week now, but they definitely don't work there." Punk said as Eve shook her head.

"Phil, why are you doing this to yourself?" Eve asked, bouncing Raimy lightly in her arms.

"Because someone killed my wife." Punk said, "Ok." He said desperately as Eve looked at him, "Someone… gave her something to make her go into labour I don't know… and they made sure she was in that elevator just enough time to bleed out and die." He said.

"That's a lot of planning." Eve said, almost with sympathy as she worried for her friend's mental state.

"Yeah well April had a lot of enemies. She wasn't a saint, we all know that." He said, "I just… I lie in bed at night and I think about her in that elevator, in pain, alone… dying." He shook his head, "The least that could have happened is I… I could have held her, I could have kissed her and said it'll be ok even if I didn't know it would be." He said, "But she died alone, and she died scared, and she didn't get to find out if the baby was gonna be ok." He said, "And that's what is killing me." He said, "So I'm gonna find who killed her. And then I'm gonna kill them." He said, never being more sure of something in his entire life.

"Phil." Eve said worriedly.

"I'm telling you, this was no accident or tragedy." Punk made clear, "Someone killed her."

"But who? Yeah, she had a lot of enemies but who would know she was here? She was like a ghost." Eve said.

"I don't know but someone did." Punk nodded, "The hotel we stayed at, I'm gonna go there and I'm gonna talk to the staff, talk to the chefs, talk to everyone, because someone gave her something there that caused her to go into labour. When we drove off from the hotel she kept saying she felt uncomfortable." He said, "We started joking about how big she was getting." He rolled his eyes, "I should have took her straight to the hospital."

"No, you can't think like that. You can't think about what you could have done. You're just torturing yourself." Eve said.

"Torturing myself would be sitting here, knowing that whoever did this is out there." He said, "I need to find them. I need to do it for April." He said as Eve nodded.

"You're sure about this?" Eve asked him as Punk nodded.

"I know it." Punk said, "Frankie is trying to find information on the guys in the control room and how they got into the building." He said, "I'm gonna go to the hotel we stayed at this weekend." He said.

"Then I'll come with you." Eve nodded as Punk looked across at her.

"Are you sure?" Punk asked, "I can go myself."

"No, I'll come." Eve said, "I can trust the boys to hold things in Virginia for a weekend, I'm sure." She said as Punk nodded.

"Ok." Punk nodded, "I'll need to talk to Coleen about watching Raimy." He said as Eve nodded.

"You trust her with her?" Eve wondered.

"Yeah, I do." Punk nodded, "She'd never hurt Raimy. She loves her." He said, "It'll only be the weekend." He said as Eve nodded.

"I think you should talk to her first about… whatever it is going on with you both. Whether she's playing a game or she's just as confused as you. You need to nip it in the bud and make yourself clear." Eve said, "She's never been loved before… you're probably like an angel to her. I can see why she would feel this way."

"Her own sister's husband? Really?" Punk shook his head.

"She's twenty one. She's young. And plus, she barely knew April when you think about it." Eve said, "You just gotta tell her straight."

"I don't want to hurt her or be mean." Punk shook his head.

"You don't have to be. Odds are you're probably both feeling he same." Eve said, "Just talk it through with her, and please don't feel guilty. You're going through a lot right now." She said, looking down at Raimy and smiling at her, "She's so beautiful." Eve shook her head as Punk smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, she is."


	54. Changing Ways

**Changing Ways**

* * *

"Did you know something was going to go down at that party?" AJ asked, standing in Johnny's office.

"No, of course I didn't." Johnny shook his head, "Things like that happen from time to time. We're not angels. You know the feeling." Johnny nodded as AJ sat down and shook her head.

"I want to kill you." AJ admitted truthfully as Johnny looked up, "I want to kick you in the head, shoot you, do something." She said, leaning back on the chair and folding her arms, speaking like it was just a casual conversation.

"Well you wouldn't be a first." Johnny shrugged, unbothered.

"What happens if I just quit? I leave and I go back to my husband. You get caught out for all of this." AJ nodded.

"First of all, you know what happens if you go back to your husband. I have people around his house. I'm sure he's a tough guy but you can only dodge so many bullets." Johnny said, "And anyway, think about it… if you try and take me down, I take you with me and you go back to prison where this all started, and you rot away." Johnny said, "Either way, you don't get what you want." He said, "At least here you have a nice apartment, some freedom, people to talk to-"

"Why me?" AJ whispered, "I'm sure there are plenty of other, more willing people in the world to do jobs for you." She said.

"I don't know, I think you're interesting. How someone so mentally weak is so… physically strong" Johnny said, "Could be a movie or something." He waved his hand as AJ rolled her eyes, "Plus, it's way sexier when a female gets her hands dirty." He shrugged as AJ shook her head.

"I met your wife at the party." AJ said, "She's beautiful." She nodded.

"She likes you." Johnny said, "We like to experiment in our relationship. We're adventurous. Like to try new things." He nodded to her.

"Good for you." AJ said, unbothered, "I could show her a better time than you could." She shrugged.

"Why don't you show us both a good time?" Johnny smiled, "Loosen up a little. Let yourself go for the night."

"One vagina isn't enough for you?" AJ questioned.

"No, apparently not." Johnny said as AJ shook her head.

"I'm married." AJ said, "And even if I wasn't, I wouldn't." She assured him.

"You aren't married. That ship has sunk well and truly." Johnny said, "Might as well get used to it. Your husband has probably moved on to banging your sister. Men. We're horrible." He shrugged as AJ shook her head, even though she was thinking about Coleen telling her that she and Punk had kissed. It had taken her back at first but she realised that Punk thought she was dead and his mind had to be all over the place.

"Not all men." AJ said, "Goes to show who you surround yourself by." She shrugged, "I'm not gonna sleep with you… or your wife, so just stop it." She rolled her eyes, massaging the bridge of her nose tiredly, "What's my next job?"

"Back in Chicago. I need you to meet with a distillation company. To do with the whiskey being produced. Everything you need to know is in here." He said, handing her over a folder as AJ took it, "And don't be sly. I got eyes everywhere. If you go anywhere near your husband I'll kill him." Johnny said as AJ looked across at him and nodded.

"Can I go?" AJ asked as Johnny nodded.

"Calle me once you've landed. Let me know you're safe." He said sarcastically as AJ shook her head and left the office.

* * *

"I thought you said Eve was coming around." Coleen said, walking into the kitchen after coming home where Punk was sitting at the table looking through some files.

"She's not long left." Punk said as Coleen nodded, "How was work?" He asked her as Coleen nodded.

"It was fine." Coleen said, "I take it you guys were talking about me?" She nodded, sitting down across from him as Punk sighed, "Thought so." She nodded.

"I just needed someone to talk to." Punk said, "I know you're hurting just like I am. And we all grieve differently. I know from the life you've lived that you haven't… you haven't had family, or anyone to love you, and I get that… I grew up in an orphanage. You feel like no one will ever want you." He said as Coleen looked across at him, "But they will, and that person isn't me." He made clear, "I don't know if you're just confused or-"

"I'm not confused." Coleen made clear, "I just thought since we're both here, we're raising Raimy together and yeah, you know what… it feels nice to have your attention and to sit down and talk to you at the end of a long day." She said, "I know you'd rather it was April here instead of me but it's not… I'm here and I've been the one helping you these past few months."

"And I appreciate that." Punk said, "But what happened last night was wrong on so many levels." He shook his head.

"Well I didn't see you stopping me." Coleen shrugged, "If it was so wrong you should have stopped me." She said a little smugly.

"I wanted to get out of my head for a few minutes." Punk said.

"So you used me?" Coleen nodded.

"No, I didn't-"

"You did." Coleen said, "And it's fine. It's not like I'm not used to something like that." She shrugged.

"I didn't use you. I just… it was wrong of me to take advantage of how you're feeling just to benefit myself." He said, "And it might have gave you the wrong signals." He sighed, "I'm just trying to say that me and you, whatever it is you think is going on or whatever it is you think could happen… it's not gonna." Punk said, "I love April. My heart is with her."

"She's dead." Coleen said.

"Don't you think I know that?" Punk asked a little angrily, "I know she's gone but… it doesn't feel like she is." He sighed, "I need to go through this process on my own and then when I'm ready I'll let people in." He nodded.

"I just thought Raimy deserved a family, and we could help each other." Coleen said.

"I know but… it's not gonna work. Raimy can still have a great aunt around." Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Coleen nodded, a little unsatisfied of course, "Do you still want me to move out?" She questioned, "Because I can start looking." She shrugged.

"No, look… I was heated when I said that. I don't want you to move out, as long as we have an understanding that… us… me and you… it's not gonna happen. You're a young girl, you should be out enjoying the world, taking it back for all you missed. You don't wanna be sat on the couch napping with me in between feeding Raimy." He smiled a little.

"What if I do?" Coleen shrugged.

"Coleen." Punk said, "You're gonna meet other people. I'm not the only person who is gonna be in your life." He said, "It's been a terrible few months. We've been all over the place, just trying to make sense of all of this and come to terms with it, I think we can just move past it now." He said, "Yeah?" He looked at her as she nodded, playing with her hands.

"Yeah." Coleen nodded, "Sure." She said as Punk nodded.

"I guess we're just trying to figure this out." Punk said, "We're gonna wobble along the way many times, I'm sure." He said, "We can still help each other through this." He assured her as Coleen just nodded, but she was not happy one bit.

"Yeah, we can." Coleen nodded.

"I'm going away for the weekend with Eve. To the hotel that me and AJ stayed at before she died." Punk said, "To see if I can find out who gave her whatever it was that made her go into labour." He said.

"Are you taking Raimy?" Coleen asked.

"No, I was… I was hoping you could watch her." Punk said, "It's just the weekend." He said as Coleen just nodded.

"Yeah, sure." Coleen said, "It'll be nice to get some alone time with her." She shrugged as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, as long as you're ok with it?" Punk said.

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Coleen nodded, "I appreciate you being honest. I guess some men would really just take advantage of me being… stupid and clingy and… you're not, and that's rare." She said, "April was really lucky to have you." She said as Punk just nodded and smiled softly.

"I was lucky to have her." Punk corrected.

There was almost a rage in Coleen. Part of her didn't feel good enough. Her past made her feel vulnerable and second best. Used and played with. She just wanted him to love her the way he saw he loved AJ. She wondered what it would take.

"I'm gonna go shower." Coleen stood up as Punk nodded, "Have you ate?"

"No, I'm gonna start dinner. I'll wait for you." Punk said as she nodded and left the kitchen.

She headed upstairs, turning on the shower which was in Punk and AJ's bedroom. She walked back into the bedroom, pausing for a second as she looked over at the dresser.

She walked over and opened it up, noticing some of AJ's clothes still there. Punk hadn't gotten around to clearing out her things. He didn't want to her clear anything out yet. He couldn't face it.

She took out some of AJ's clothes, pressing them against her body, looking at herself in the mirror. She then walked back into the bathroom, reaching for the shampoo which she knew was AJ's, as well as the body wash, sitting it up so she could use it.

She walked out of the bathroom, heading next door into the nursery where Raimy was sleeping peacefully.

She looked over the crib, watching her sleep and smiling, "It's just you and me this weekend." She smiled.


	55. Fake Void

**Fake Void**

* * *

"How'd you get on at the hotel?" Frankie asked, standing outside the hotel which Punk and Eve had thoroughly checked through. They'd asked around for staff names, they asked around for camera footage dating back to when Punk and AJ had stayed, but nothing seemed to be flagging any alarm bells.

"Nothing popping out." Punk shook his head.

"Well I come with good news, depending on how you take it, I suppose." Frankie said.

"Go on." Eve nodded.

"So I got some scope on those two guys that were in the control room. They work for a German whiskey company." Frankie said as Punk screwed his eyes up.

"What?" Punk shook his head, not seeing much correlation.

"Yeah, I was pretty confused too." Frankie admitted, "But I looked further into it and the company is ran by family and it's a notorious gang family in Berlin."

"That still doesn't mean anything to me." Punk said, "Maybe that's their side job or something. Why would those people want anything to do with my wife?" He shook his head, "How did they even get into the building without a pass?"

"They must have snuck in and stole a pass from somewhere." Frankie nodded, "Because I read the report from that day and there was no sign of forced entry anywhere in the building." He said, "Do you think there was something April wasn't telling you?" He asked.

"No. No way. She told me everything." Punk said with certainty.

"Phil." Eve sighed, "I know you might not want to admit it but… AJ had a past, I mean maybe there was some things she never told you."

"My wife told me everything." Punk made himself clear, "And anyway, even if she didn't, what the hell would she have to do with a whiskey company?" He questioned, "This doesn't make sense."

"Don't think of it as the company, think of it as the people." Frankie said, "The company is ran by Johnny Shelby. He's American but he took his business to Germany but I'm sure he's got his business all over the place. Bastards like him normally do." He said.

"So what am I supposed to do? Go see this guy and ask him why his workers were in the control room that day that AJ died?" Punk asked.

"You don't wanna be messing with these people." Frankie said, "If you're gonna go, take a lot of people with you." He nodded.

"Phil, is it really worth it? You have Raimy. You don't wanna be putting yourself in danger." Eve shook her head worriedly.

"I gotta know." Punk said, "This was no accident and I need to find out who killed my wife and why." He nodded as Eve sighed.

"You gotta think why April would be involved with these people in any way, though?" Frankie asked, "You don't have any sort of idea."

"I mean… all I can think of is that she… she crossed paths with them years ago and something went down but… she would have told me. I know she would have." He said with frustrating, "I'm not doubting her." He made clear.

"If you go there and you start asking questions, that makes you a part of it." Frankie said, "You gotta be careful. Odds are he probably knows who you are anyway." He said as Punk sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"Call Dean and Seth." Punk nodded to Eve, "See if they fancy a trip to Germany."

* * *

"What took you so long?" AJ shook her head, her hood up as she leaned off of the brick wall, watching her sister walk down the lane with the stroller, "I don't have a lot of time."

"She spit up on the way out." Coleen said as AJ looked at her, "I swear April, if this is putting me or her in danger." She shook her head.

"It's not." AJ nodded, noticing a certain change in her sister since the last time she'd saw her. It was a more mature and unbothered state she seemed to be in, and it was almost like she was taking over motherhood on her behalf.

She watched as Coleen very comfortably lifted Raimy out from the stroller. AJ placed her hand on her chest, taking deep breaths and taking Raimy immediately from Coleen

"Oh, baby. Hi." AJ said with relief, nuzzling her face down against hers, "Hi, sweet girl." AJ said softly, kissing her little nose as Raimy smiled, "She's got so big already." AJ shook her head, looking up at Coleen who didn't look amused, "Is something wrong?" AJ questioned worriedly.

"This is what's wrong." Coleen said, "All of this isn't fair on any of us. Not on me, not on Raimy, certainly not on Phil."

"And don't you think I know that?" AJ asked her, holding Raimy tightly into her. She felt at peace with her baby girl in her arms. She was a dream. The dream that kept her going. She hoped one day things would be better. That she could be her mother.

"I don't think you do, actually." Coleen folded her arms, "You're not here. Phil is a mess right now. He's trying to find your supposed killer all the while I have to look him in the eye and know that you aren't even dead. You've put me in this situation." She spat.

"Do you think I want to be in this situation? I don't have a choice. You're all in danger if I do anything about this. If the truth gets out." AJ said, "I'm trying to protect you all." She shook her head, "I didn't ask for this. I want to be at home raising my daughter and being with my husband but unfortunately I don't have that option right now. So don't dare make this out like this is my choice."

"Well I refuse to feed into this." Coleen said, "I don't think you should see Raimy anymore." She shook her head as AJ tilted her head and looked at her.

"Excuse me?" AJ shook her head.

"It's not fair on her." Coleen said, "I'm the one taking care of her. Phil isn't even in town right now. I'm the one feeding her, changing her, singing her to sleep… as far as I'm concerned, I'm her mother." She shrugged confidently as AJ's eyes widened.

"Have you lost your mind?" AJ shook her head, "I thought I would have your support right now. My sister's support." She said, "And you say something like that to me?"

"Well it's true." Coleen said, "You've caused a lot of pain and Raimy deserves a steady home." She nodded, "We can give her that?"

"We?" AJ tilted her head.

"Me and Phil." Coleen nodded smugly, "We're good together. We're raising Raimy." She said, "And we're sleeping together." She smiled as AJ looked across at her, tilting her head a little as she held her baby daughter in her arms.

She wasn't sure how to interpret her sister's behaviour or what she had just said. She wasn't sure if she believed it or not. She wasn't convinced it was something Phil would do to her. She understood maybe something foolish had happened between them. They were living together, upset, trying to get by, but to be sleeping together was a completely different level.

"Don't lie to me." AJ said, not believing it.

"I'm not." Coleen shrugged, "I sleep in your bed every night. I'm raising Raimy." She said, "There's really no place for you anyway." She said as AJ looked at her, wide and alert eyes striking her with fire.

AJ kissed Raimy's head sweetly, walking over to the stroller and placing her down, "Mommy loves you." She smiled, loud enough so Coleen could hear her. No one was going to play mother to her child, she didn't care if she was in a position where she couldn't be a mother to her baby girl, she wouldn't stand for her sister to disrespect her and treat her this way when this situation was completely out of her hands.

"I told you not to go near him." AJ said, backing Coleen up against the wall as Coleen looked at her. She'd never met the scary side of her sister and she was terrified.

"Well I did." Coleen shrugged as AJ grabbed her around the throat, banging her head off the wall and moving her face close to hers, watching her as she gasped for air.

"You don't want to get on this side of me." AJ warned her, "I will hurt you." She promised as Coleen tried to remove her hand from around her throat.

She didn't expect her sister to act this way. She was almost acting like a completely different person. The way she looked like she was trying to be her, fill her void, it was boiling AJ's blood.

"Get off of me." Coleen wheezed as AJ released her hand and looked at her, "He's so big." She smirked, massaging her neck as she looked up at AJ who glared at her, tackling her to the ground immediately as she began punching her, rolling around. Neither of them were foreign to street fighting and defending themselves, but AJ had a lot more years and experience on her.

She was taken back by the changes in Coleen. She thought she'd have the help and support from her sister above anyone else, especially when they were trying to get to know one another, but she seemed to be trying to steal her life.

AJ eventually stopped herself, getting off of Coleen who sat on the ground, wiping her bloody nose and lip and looking up.

"This isn't forever." AJ warned her, "I'll be back. I thought I'd have the help from my little sister but I guess I was wrong." AJ shrugged, "I don't believe he would touch someone as young, as desperate and foolish as you, but thank you for making me doubt my own husband." She nodded.

"He thinks you're dead and buried." Coleen said, "You've put him through torture. I'm taking care of him now, and Raimy. They don't need you anymore." She said, "So you can go do what you truly do best… clean up everyone's mess." She said, getting to her feet, holding her hand over her lip as AJ looked at her.

"I didn't have to come find you and help you but I did. I welcomed you into my home and my life. I thought I'd finally found something who I could identify with-"

"No… I thought I was fucked up until I met you." Coleen said, "You made me feel better about myself. And now I have your life." She smiled, "Thank you for that." She nodded smugly as AJ looked at her, not believing what she was seeing and hearing. It was like she had changed into a completely different person.

"You're gonna be alone." AJ told her as she walked over to the stroller, "Because I will come back." She nodded.

"Yeah, ok." Coleen rolled her eyes as AJ yanked her by the hair, looking into her eyes, their faces almost touching as Coleen winced.

"If you were smart, you'd stay away from him." AJ whispered, her eyes staring daggers into her sister's as Coleen smiled.

"He fucks me too good." Coleen said, making a kissing face at AJ who slapped her hard across the face. But the slap didn't seem to phase her in any way. They were very alike in certain aspects. Physical violence didn't bother them and they could have a war of words all day.

"I'll kill you." AJ nodded as Coleen turned the stroller around.

"There's a surprise." Coleen tutted, "I won't be reading your letters anymore and I'm not bringing Raimy to you again. You're better off out of our lives." She nodded to her, walking off with the stroller as AJ watched, shaking her hand and running her hands through her hair.

She turned into the wall, leaning her forehead against it and letting go of tears, something she rarely did. Whether she believed her sister or not, she still felt like she'd lost her husband. Everything she'd worked so hard at to get over, everything she'd built, a new life, falling in love, having a family, it was all gone and she was back where she was all those years ago. She wasn't sure what to do anymore.


	56. Hit Switch

**Hit Switch**

* * *

"How'd you get on?" Johnny asked, watching as AJ walked into his office after returning back from Chicago. A difficult trip to Chicago after encountering her very hostile and full of hatred sister.

"Fine." AJ said bluntly, walking over to the chair in front of his desk, collapsing down as Johnny looked at her, "Here's the licencing agreement I got for you. You can thank me later." She said, reaching into her purse and handing it over to him.

"Great." Johnny nodded with great admiration, looking through it. He thought she was unique and special but AJ was way too distracted to notice how he acted around her. She was just trying to make it to the next day without losing her mind, and after everything Coleen had said to her, claiming she was sleeping with Punk, she just wasn't sure what to think. She knew her husband and she knew this wasn't his sort of nature. Especially not this quick after she'd supposedly died, "What's wrong with your face?" Johnny noticed her acting strange.

"Nothing is wrong with my face." AJ said, "I'm just wondering how long I have to stay trapped by you." She glared across at him. There was only so much she could take. The difference between her now and what she used to be like before was that she only had herself to worry about and depend on. She would count on herself, make the most of something, get through it with nothing but herself, but she had a baby daughter out there who she desperately wanted to be with, and a husband she didn't want to hurt or grieve anymore. She was starting to struggle now. For real.

"Don't think of it like you're trapped." Johnny scoffed, "Think of it like I've saved you. You'll thank me one day for it. You'd be wasting your talent sitting at home doing nothing." He waved his hand.

"My talent? What's my talent?" AJ screwed her face up, "Being a terrible person? That's not a talent."

"No, you're not a terrible person-"

"I'm working for you. That makes me a terrible person." AJ nodded.

"You're smart. You're physically gifted. You're beautiful. You're not like any other woman I've ever met before." Johnny said, "I say that with love."

"You're just like everyone else." AJ shook her head, "You're just using me. Don't worry, it's a feeling I've been familiar with." She nodded, "But you've ripped me from my life. From a life I was in love with. Do you have any idea how long it took me to start enjoying my life? To start loving myself and loving the things around me?" She asked, "For once I wasn't so negative and everything wasn't about cheating people and hurting people. And just when I found that happiness you came in and ripped me away from it." She spat as Johnny sighed, "So no, I will never, ever thank you for what you have done to me." She spat as Johnny sighed.

"Oh, April." Johnny sighed, "Ok, I can see you're upset. Which is good because I'd like to make it better for you."

"The only way you make this better is by letting me go home. I've done more than enough for you now. We can go our separate ways. I won't spill any dirt on you. We can just part our ways and that'll be it." AJ said with hope to just somehow get through to him.

"You know I can't let you go now." Johnny said, "Ever. I mean… you're dead-"

"I have died many, many times." AJ nodded quietly, "I always come back, don't worry about that." She said with exhaustion.

"Well this time you're not going back." Johnny nodded, "I'm having dinner at my house tonight. Just me, my wife, my eldest son and his wife. I'd like you to join us." He said, "And… believe me, you have to be special to be invited to a family dinner at my house." He said, "I want you to feel welcomed."

"I do not want to feel welcomed." AJ spat, standing up from the chair.

"April." Johnny warned, "You will come to this dinner tonight." He nodded to her as she stared across at him, "Ok?" He nodded as she looked at him.

"I assume if I don't you'll what? Have people kill my husband? My sister? Me?" AJ shrugged, "Yeah, I got it." She nodded, heading for the door.

"Oh and wear something nice." Johnny nodded as AJ walked out of the office door.

* * *

Punk and Eve got back from Virginia after investigating around the hotel. After getting further information from Frankie and arranging a trip to Germany to check out the whiskey company which they'd found connections too, Punk was heading home to spend time with Raimy, who he had missed so much.

He shamefully felt a little glad to be getting a break from her when he set off with Eve but not even after an hour did he start to feel this longing to see her. He really missed her terribly and he couldn't wait to hold her.

Eve had gone home to her own place whilst Punk headed home, walking in through the front door and dumping his bag down, throwing his keys on the side table as he walked through to the living room which was empty.

He headed upstairs, figuring it was around the time Raimy went down for her night time sleep. He hoped he hadn't missed her going to sleep so he could have a little cuddle before.

He walked up the stairs and into the nursery, pausing at the door when he saw Coleen sitting on the rocking chair with Raimy in her arms. At first he smiled upon the sight because he did know how much Coleen loved her niece, and despite all the strange things that had been happening between them and how Coleen felt, he knew she was here to help him, that was until he noticed she was wearing some of AJ's clothes which he hadn't gotten around to clearing out yet.

And then listened to what she was saying to Raimy as she put her to sleep.

"Close those little eyes." Coleen whispered, looking down at the three month old, "Mommy loves you so much. I do." She smiled as Punk tilted his head and pushed the door open without hesitation.

"What did you just say?" Punk asked angrily.

"Phil." Coleen gasped with a fright, "I didn't even hear you come in." She said, her heart beating rapidly as she stood up.

"What the hell did you just say to her?" Punk said, already immediately taking Raimy from her and into his own arms. Holding her gave him some of his own security and seeing her little face calmed him down, even though he was still mad.

"I was… I was talking about AJ." Coleen quickly covered her tracks as Punk looked at her.

"Didn't sound like that to me." Punk called her out, "Don't you ever refer to yourself as her mother ever again. Do you understand me?" Punk asked, not messing around as Coleen gulped, "You're not her mother."

"Calm down." Coleen nodded softly as Punk looked at her.

"And are you wearing April's clothes? I mean… really?" Punk shook his head.

"I done a lot of washing for my stuff." Coleen said, "What is wrong with you?" She shook her head, trying to act like he was the crazy one, trying to make him feel bad for freaking out but he knew what he was seeing.

"Well you're wearing her clothes, you're calling yourself Raimy's mom… what the hell? I'm gone for a few days and this is what happens? We talked about this." He said, "I thought we were past it."

"We are." Coleen said, "You're the one snapping for no reason." She laughed light heartedly, "How did the trip go?" She asked him calmly, trying to divert his attention as Punk looked down at Raimy, bouncing her lightly to put her to sleep, kissing her head softly as she gave him a smile.

"The trip was useless but Frankie got us some information that… might be useful." He said, walking over to the crib, "It just involves me going to Germany for a few days." He told her, placing Raimy down in the crib once she'd drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile Coleen looked at him, worriedly as she knew that was where AJ was. It was the only thing she knew but it was still worrying her that he was actually getting close to finding her, without actually realising he was going to. The awful part of her which had pretty much taken over her entire being, really didn't want him to find her, because she was trying her best to take over her sister's perfect life. This was her way of dealing with everything going on, and a part of her still hadn't quite gotten used to being out of the trading camps yet.

"Germany? What's in Germany?" She questioned, playing along.

"Those guys who were in the control room, Frankie found a connection with some whiskey company here. Americans but I don't know, must have taken their trade to Germany. So we're gonna go over and question them." He nodded, "See where that leads us."

"Is this really worth it?" Coleen asked, walking out of the nursery with him.

"What do you mean by that?" Punk asked, "Finding out who did this is my only focus right now. That and Raimy." He said, "I can't go to sleep at night knowing someone did this to my wife and not find them." He made clear, "And I won't be convinced otherwise." He made clear as Coleen just nodded.

"I'm not trying to I just don't you want to put yourself in danger." She shrugged, "Raimy needs you. She's not as settled with me like she is with you." She nodded, "You have to be here for her."

"And I will be." Punk promised, "But I gotta do this. We're leaving in a few days." He told her, walking into his bedroom, noticing the bed sheets had been changed and everything had been tidied up. The reason he hadn't changed the sheets was because the pillow beside him still smelt of AJ's shampoo and it was the only thing that put him to sleep, "Why-Why did you do this?" Punk turned around to her as Coleen stood at the door.

"Phil, the sheets needed changed." Coleen shook her head.

"No, they didn't." Punk said, "Who-Who do you think you are?" Punk asked her, "How dare you." He glared at her.

"Look, I know you're upset but… maybe it's time to move on." Coleen shrugged as Punk looked at her with confusion.

"You know what? I can decide that for myself. I don't need you coming into my room and… and touching things that don't belong to you. Wearing April's clothes. Pretending your Raimy's mom." Punk said angrily, "I thought we had talked about this but you…" He put his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath to try and stay calm, "You're crazy like her but she was a good crazy, she was always trying to do the right thing, her heart was in the right place but you… you just don't think, do you?" He shook his head as Coleen approached him, slapping him across the face as Punk barely flinched or reacted, turning back to her.

"You wanna hit me?" Coleen nodded and smiled, "Huh? Go on. Hit me." She said, "I bet you hit her… I bet she liked that-"

"I would never raise my hand to any women. Certainly not my wife." Punk said. He thought they had left on decent terms but it seemed like things were just getting progressively worse. It was like a switch was going off in her and she seemed to be getting worse. Her behaviour was becoming outrageous and he was starting to think it was more than just her trying to deal with April's death, but maybe more to the fact that she herself had been kept a prisoner for so long in such traumatic circumstances.

"What if I hit you again?" Coleen nodded, slapping him across the face and then pushing him as Punk stayed calm and looked at her.

"You need to get out of my room, right now." Punk nodded to her as Coleen looked up at him, running her hands through her hair, "I think maybe we should think about you moving out." He nodded. Something was just not right with her. She wasn't the same person she was when April was still around. She was becoming obsessive, stalkerish and honestly, a little scary.

"I slept in the bed whilst you were gone." Coleen smiled, "On her side." She nodded.

"Get the fuck out." Punk hissed, starting to get angry as Coleen just put her hands up, backing away and walking out of the bedroom as Punk shook his head, listening as she walked downstairs and headed straight out of the house. He dreaded to know where she was storming off to, but having her gone was a relief.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates there. I've been doing exams so life has taken over for a little bit but I'm free now so hopefully more updates, more drama!**


	57. Losing It

**Losing It**

* * *

AJ arrived at Johnny's house later on that night. She was wearing a simple black dress and boots with a leather jacket. It was the only effort she was going to make.

"Glad you could make it." Johnny nodded once opening up the door to AJ.

"I don't believe I had the choice." AJ mumbled, walking into the house as a maid came right away and took her jacket from her body, "I'll keep it." AJ snatched the jacket back from her.

"Ignore her. She has no manners." Johnny assured the maid, guiding AJ through to the dining area as she held her jacket over her arm in front of her.

"I do have manners." AJ corrected him.

"You absolutely do not." Johnny laughed, "But it's ok." He assured her, "Here we are." He said, walking into the large dining room where his wife and son were already sitting, "Teresa, Cal, Louise… this is April." He introduced as AJ just nodded to them, sitting down at the chair left for her beside his son.

"Oh, me and April have met." Teresa waved her hand with a smile.

"I don't believe we have." Cal turned to her as AJ looked at him, "I'm Cal, it's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand as AJ shook it weakly and nodded.

"And I'm Louise. Cal's wife." Louise said, sitting across the table as AJ looked over, "Glad to finally meet the woman everyone has been talking about." She said as AJ just gave a weak smile.

"Nothing special to see." AJ assured her.

"I disagree." Cal said, "My dad has told me what great things you've done for our business. You have a talent. Shouldn't be wasted." He nodded as AJ just looked at him.

"You people keep saying the word talent to me like you're throwing a dog a bone." AJ said, "Your father dragged me away from my husband. He practically killed my baby. I don't have a life anymore." AJ made clear, "So forgive me, but I'd rather be talentless than lose everything I loved. But… I guess I'm not in control of that decision. And that's fine. I've been used to not being in control before." She nodded as Johnny looked over at her.

"What's your story, April?" Teresa asked, holding her large glass of wine in the air, "Where'd you come from? Just tell us a bit about yourself?"

Normally AJ would have declined but she was just so over putting on a serious and angry face that she couldn't do it anymore, "I was born in Chicago. My parents sold me when I was six years old. I came to Russia and spent almost eight years being put in trafficking camps." She said, "I escaped, grew up in an orphanage. Got out, met a boyfriend, got abused by him, killed him, went to prison multiple times, escaped prison, got immunity from prison from the Russian government who actually were the ones who put me in those trafficking camps." She said, "So then I killed most of them. Found my husband, started working for the CIA, got married, got pregnant, was happy… you guys… ruined it and here I am… back where I left off, cleaning up other people's mess." She nodded as they sat in silence, "What? No one has anything to say?" AJ asked, amused.

"When you say you were… trafficked-" Louise began.

"Sold for sex." AJ assured her as Louise nodded slowly.

"You must have seen a lot of things." Louise said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, I have." AJ nodded.

"I'm curious to know how a girl goes from being… very, very damaged and vulnerable, working for the Russian government, full of hatred to… a wife and a mom to be working for the CIA." Teresa said, "That's an unusual transition."

"Because it was the first time in my life I was given the choice. Nothing is ever my choice, it never was but when I went back to the states and I met my husband, I was given choices, I was asked what I wanted for the first time. I fell in love with that first." She said, "I don't expect you guys to imagine what I've been through." She shrugged.

"You're right. I can't." Teresa nodded, "But you're a tough young girl with a good head on your shoulders. That's rare to see after what you've gone through." She said as AJ looked across at her.

"April here got us a license agreement with the distillation company in Chicago." Johnny raised his glass of whiskey as AJ just sat, her elbows on the table, tracing her fingertip around the glass of water she had in front of her.

"That's great." Cal nodded, impressed, "That'll broaden the business even more." He said as Johnny nodded.

"Well it's her great work." Johnny nodded.

"I just spoke to some people and asked them to sign some things." AJ shrugged as Johnny looked across, "Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom." She said, standing up from the table and leaving the table as she headed up the grand staircase to the bathroom.

She walked on in and closed the door behind her, digging into her jacket pocket and taking out the cigarettes, putting one in her mouth and pacing up and down as she lit it and opened up the window.

She'd never drank or smoked until she got here. She never used to see the point in either of them but recently, feeling so depressed, missing her baby and her husband, she was finding a lot of comfort in cigarettes particularly.

She stood by the window, smoking the cigarettes, running her hand through her hair as she listened to the bathroom door open up.

She turned around and saw Teresa walking into the bathroom. She continued to smoke her cigarette.

"We don't smoke in the bathrooms." Teresa nodded to her.

"I don't care." AJ nodded to her, "I'm nearly finished." She told her as Teresa closed the door behind her and walked over to AJ, "If you want me to stay here and make it through a seven course dinner then you'll let me finish." She told her as Teresa nodded.

"Fair enough." Teresa smiled, "If you're struggling I can… get you some things." She nodded.

"What things?" AJ asked, taking another drag.

"Drugs." Teresa nodded as AJ looked at her, "You're like me. You just need a pick me up every now and then, "I don't imagine you getting addicted."

"Does anyone imagine themselves getting addicted to drugs?" AJ questioned, "No thank you." She shook her head without question. She had never done and would never do a drug in her life, but the idea of feeling outside of her body and not being so depressed was tempting.

"Well you can come to me if you need anything." Teresa nodded, walking closer to her as AJ looked at her. She tossed her cigarette out of the window and closed the door over whilst Teresa stayed close to her, "Doesn't even have to be drugs." She said, running her hand up AJ's leg, up her dress as AJ allowed her to do so.

The only thing she could think about was her sister sleeping with her husband. She didn't believe it but she couldn't understand why Coleen would claim they had slept together if it was a lie. It hurt her. Even though she understood that Punk believed she was dead, and he was obviously struggling and hurting, but it hurt her to think of him with anyone else, let alone her own little sister.

She felt Teresa put her hand inside her panties as she rolled her head back a little. And she wondered when her life had taken such a horrible turn where she was sitting in a bathroom smoking and allowing someone else to touch her, just so she could get out of her own head.

* * *

"I've circled some apartments you can look at." Punk said, putting the paper down in front of Coleen at the kitchen table as she just nodded, "Where did you go last night?"

"I just went out to clear my head." Coleen said, "I'm sorry for hitting you and freaking out on you. This is all just… catching up with me." She shook her head, "And honestly I just feel like I'm gonna snap at one point." She shook her head as Punk folded his arms and looked across at her.

"You know… April was bipolar." Punk nodded as Coleen looked up at him, "Not that I'm saying you are too but… mental illness, mental health issues run in families." He said, "Maybe you're just depressed and anxious-"

"We're all depressed." Coleen corrected him.

"Right but… you're not yourself. I can see that. And I don't know if it has anything to do with April or if this is actually to do with what you've gone through. I mean you've only been out, living in the world for a few months. That's gotta be taken a toll on you at this point, and you know what… I get that, but I still don't think me and you should live together anymore." He said, "It's just not working.

"How can you still be so nice to me?" Coleen shook her head, it made him even more attractive and she hated it.

"Because I know you just miss April, like I do. And we all grieve differently." He said as Coleen looked up at him. It felt so wrong for her to be so selfish in wanting him and wanting her sister to stay away. And it also felt so wrong to see him suffer when she could easily tell him that April was alive and she was ok… well, as far as she knew she was ok.

"I just wanted to show you I could be good with Raimy." Coleen nodded.

"You don't have to show me that. I know you are. But you're not her mom. I gotta draw the line there. I'm gonna raise Raimy and I'm gonna tell her all about April, her mom." Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Coleen nodded.

"Don't… don't take this the wrong way but… maybe… maybe it might be worthwhile speaking to someone." He said. He wasn't trying to diagnose her insane or any other unfit terms but it was clear to see she wasn't acting normal. She was being obsessive, controlling and not like herself, and of course he still wanted to help her.

"Someone?" Coleen asked.

"Like a therapist." Punk said, "AJ used to see one, I think I still have the girls number. She really liked it and she thought it was useful." He nodded.

"I didn't know she was bipolar. She never told me." Coleen said as Punk nodded.

"She was good at hiding things." Punk said, "I'll look you the number out for her."

"Well maybe you should speak to someone too." Coleen nodded as Punk looked across at her.

"Maybe." Punk said, "I leave for Germany in a few days. I can… I can take Raimy with me, maybe it's best… or Eve can take care of her and stay here."

"You don't trust me with her anymore?" Coleen looked up at him angrily.

"It's not that, I just… I don't want you to be left with everything. It's not fair, and yeah… you know, I think maybe you need time to focus on you right now." Punk nodded as Coleen looked at him, "I'm gonna look for that number for you." He said, opening up a drawer as he raided through things, knowing it was somewhere.

"April is alive." Coleen said. She knew her idea of filling her sister's void and taking her place wasn't realistic. Punk loved her too much and she cared about him, which meant she didn't want to see him hurt. She didn't feel stable but if there was one good thing she could do, it would be this.

"What?" Punk turned around to her.

"April is alive." Coleen nodded, "She's in Germany."


	58. On The Way

**On The Way**

* * *

"What are you talking about?" Punk shook his head.

"April is alive." Coleen nodded, "I've saw her. Twice." She said as Punk just shook his head. He could only assume she was playing more games with him.

"No she isn't." Punk shook his head.

"She is." Coleen said, "About a month after she supposedly died, I got a letter from her. I thought someone was messing with me but, who would even know I existed?" She said, "She was asking to see Raimy so… I was curious to see if it was really her. And it was." Coleen said as Punk just shook his head, "Think about it… did you really see her dead?" She asked as Punk looked across at her.

When he thought about it, he really hadn't saw AJ dead, he didn't want to see her body because he thought it would be too difficult.

"I… we buried her. We had a funeral. We buried a coffin into the ground. It was her."

"Did you see her in the coffin?" Coleen asked him as he looked at her.

"No, but-"

"She's alive. I've saw her. Twice. She's caught up in something. I don't know the details but I know it's bad and I know that you knowing she's alive is just gonna cause problems. That's why I kept it from you for so long. I was afraid something would happen to her or you but… this can't go on any more." She shook her head.

"If you're playing with me right now-"

"I'm not." Coleen assured her, "I saw her with my own eyes. I'll go get the two letters." She said, walking off into the living room whilst Punk stood, his legs feeling numb, not knowing what to believe. He wasn't sure if he could trust Coleen after what had been going on but he knew she wouldn't have a reason to lie about this of all things.

"Let me see." Punk said, taking the letters from Coleen and reading them, realising this was his wife's handwriting, and he could almost hear her voice as he read the letters. The letters both clearly stated that he was to be kept out of this, and that she wanted to meet her daughter.

He couldn't believe it. It wasn't something he ever expected. He didn't even imagine something like this happening. He was confused with so many questions, angry that Coleen had kept this from him but most of all unsure whether to build his hopes up in case this was all just some really nice dream he was in.

"She looks healthy, if that means anything. A little sad but healthy." Coleen shrugged as Punk looked across at her.

"Why would you not tell me she was alive?" Punk questioned. In a certain way, he saw it making sense because he knew his wife wasn't one to live an ordinary life. She'd been dead and came back to life many of times. He just didn't think it would happen this time.

"Because she didn't want me to. She said it could put us in danger so I wasn't going to do that." Coleen made clear as Punk shook his head, "She's in Germany." She nodded, "Once I heard you were digging into things I knew you'd find out so… I thought it'd be better coming from me."

"I can't believe this." Punk shook his head, taking a seat as he kept re-reading the letters, feeling a little sick with shock. Having to get used to AJ not being around, knowing he would never see her again or get to be with her ever again was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. For it all to come undone was like a dream come true. But he knew it wasn't all positive. He wasn't sure what his wife was involved with.

"Neither could I." Coleen nodded.

"She-She saw Raimy?" Punk nodded, getting a little emotional. What hurt the most was knowing that AJ never got the chance to meet their baby, but knowing she had, even just for a few short minutes, it made things so much better.

"Yeah." Coleen said.

"This is unbelievable." Punk shook his head, running his hands through his hair and trying to keep himself together. Coleen watched him, almost with sadness, because she could truly see there would be no other woman to compare to AJ in his eyes. That left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Yeah." Coleen agreed casually, "So I guess if you're going to Germany, you know you're actually looking for someone now." She nodded as Punk just shook his head in amazement.

"You've definitely saw her?" Punk asked. He was almost trying to protect his heart from any further hurting. He didn't want to be lead on by the idea that his wife was actually alive, if she actually wasn't.

"Here." Coleen lifted her phone up and scrolled through her pictures, handing it over to him as he took it. During their first meeting, she had taken a picture of AJ with Raimy when she was just a month old. It was the first time AJ had gotten to hold her and AJ asked her sister to take a picture of the moment, in case one day she could look back on it perhaps.

Punk placed his hand over his mouth, looking on at the picture at his very alive wife and his baby girl. There was no smile on AJ's face, she was looking down at Raimy in the picture and they appeared to be in some street or lane, but it was the most beautiful sight he would ever see.

"She's really alive." Punk whispered to himself, staring at the picture, "Is it… is it this whiskey company? The people who are running it?" Punk asked, looking up from the picture but immediately looking back down. He couldn't not look at it.

"She wouldn't tell me anything. Just that she was in Germany." Coleen said, "But I mean, I assume she's working for people. She said they told her that Raimy had died."

"Who the fuck are these people?" Punk shook his head, starting to get angry once the shock and the relief was subsiding.

"Dangerous people obviously. I guess she's no stranger to that." Coleen said, "Are you gonna go?"

"Of course I am. I have to find her." Punk shook his head, "I gotta let the guys know and we gotta… we gotta go right now, as soon as possible." Punk nodded, rushing out of the kitchen to get his phone whilst Coleen sat in the kitchen twiddling her thumbs, lost in her thoughts.

* * *

"Better?" Teresa asked, getting back to her feet as AJ sat on the sink, closing her legs over and leaning against the mirror as she nodded.

"You shouldn't have done that." AJ shook her head, even though losing herself for a few minutes was heavenly, because she didn't need to think about how tragic her life had become.

"Why not?" Teresa smiled, "I'm happy to help." She said as AJ pulled her panties up.

"You're married." AJ shook her head.

"He doesn't mind. He'll like this." Teresa shrugged, "I'm pretty sure you're also married."

"Yeah well maybe my husband has moved on." She shrugged, "Maybe he deserved better than me anyway." She said. Her mind was in such a dark place that she was starting to wonder if her disappear was actually better for her husband and for her daughter. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise for them, and she couldn't stop thinking about how quickly Punk had moved on, to her sister of all people. She needed just a few minutes to feel that sort of nothing in her head, but she felt disgusting after it.

"Maybe he did." Teresa nodded, "I'm just glad I could help you." She smiled as AJ stood up and picked up her jacket.

"I'm not gonna be your husband's puppet forever." AJ made clear.

"Well to me…you look like you're giving up." Teresa smiled, "This is a good life for you. You have money, you have a family… we're here for you." She said, caressing her cheek as AJ looked at her.

"What just happened there is I just used you, and to be honest, it wasn't all that worth it." She admitted, "Just because you get between my legs doesn't mean I'm gonna sleep with you and your husband, or have this… epiphany where I realise this is where I belong." AJ shook her head as Teresa folded her arms, "We're all just playing a big game, right?" She smirked as Teresa looked at her.

"Where are you going?" Teresa asked.

"I'm going back to my apartment. I got what I came for." She smiled as Teresa looked at her, "It's not nice, is it? Being used." She nodded, "You have potential though." She nodded, brushing by her and walking out of the bathroom as Teresa folded her arms and shook her head.

* * *

AJ got back to her apartment and showered immediately. A part of her did feel like she had cheated on her husband, and she knew technically she had, but all she could think about was how perhaps he maybe didn't love her like he said he had. All she could see was him with her sister and it made her so mad. More so towards her sister because her sister knew she was alive, Phil did not, and she could understand that perhaps he was struggling and he was hurting, and using sex as a way to escape, which she could understand. But she just felt like they were broken. Really broken.

She spent time in the shower, feeling disgusted with herself. Even if she had just fooled around a little with no intercourse, to her it was still a big deal. She would never want to hurt Phil but at this point she wasn't sure if she would ever see him again.

She got out of the shower and got into some shorts and t-shirt, drying her wet hair with the towel as she walked back into her bedroom, sitting down on the bed.

She was trying to figure out if this was what she deserved. After finding peace, finding love, finding a home and a family… why had it all been so horribly ripped from her overnight? She felt like that used, vulnerable, insecure little girl again.

She continued to brush her hair when there was a knock at the door. She walked out of the bedroom and over to the door, opening it up as she saw Teresa standing.

"Oh, what?" AJ rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm not here for trouble." Teresa smiled, "If you… don't want the sex then… maybe this will help." She said, handing her over the very obvious bags of drugs, "Cocaine. Good stuff." She nodded, "But not too aggressive." She said as AJ looked at it, "It's clear you're unhappy and your hurting so… it should help." She nodded as AJ folded her arms, noticing Teresa looking at her chest which of course had no bra on.

"Stop staring at my tits." AJ made clear as Teresa looked back up at AJ's face and shook her head.

"It's a shame someone so beautiful is so unhappy." Teresa nodded as AJ folded her arms.

"I'm unhappy because of your family, your business that I'm now working for… not out of choice." AJ said, "That's all my entire life has been. People making choices for me without asking." She said, "I'm just… I'm done." She shook her head as Teresa looked at her.

"Here, take this." Teresa nodded as AJ took a deep breath, taking the drugs from her quickly, "I'm sorry that you're so unhappy." She nodded as AJ looked at her, "If you need more just let me know." She said, walking away as AJ watched her leave.

She closed the door over, locking it behind her as she looked at the drugs in her hands, sighing to herself and leaning against the door.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be ok?" Punk asked Coleen who nodded. They were leaving for Germany right away after Punk contacted everyone, and he had no other choice but to leave Coleen with Raimy. Despite everything he knew she would never hurt Raimy and she would take good care of her.

"I'll be fine." Coleen said, standing at the doorway with Raimy in her arms.

"This is unbelievable." Punk shook his head, he still couldn't believe it, it wasn't sinking in at all. He felt like he was floating.

"Go find her." Coleen pushed a forced smile as Punk nodded.

"Hopefully I'll not be too long and… and we find her." Punk said, of course there was the nerves that they hadn't made it in time, or that something had happened to AJ already, and they also didn't know who they were up against. They had to be careful, but he wasn't going to give up on his wife, not now especially. To say she was still alive was unbelievable. Something he could have only dreamed of.

"Yeah, call me and let me know." Coleen said as Punk nodded.

"Ok." Punk said, looking down at Raimy, "I'll see you soon, sweetheart." He said, caressing her little head softly, leaning down and kissing her nose which always got her to smile and scrunch it up. He laughed a little as she did exactly that, only this time she reached up to touch his face, "I'm gonna miss you." He nodded, taking her hand and kissing it, "I won't be long." He nodded to her as Coleen watched him. Seeing what she could have had with him, the obsession still lingering in her head, it was angering her that after he returned, no doubt with AJ, she wouldn't even be in his focal point one bit.

"You better go." Coleen said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk said, "I'll see you later." He nodded to her walking out of the house as Coleen waited for him to disappear.

She then closed the door over, looking down at Raimy, bouncing her lightly and heading upstairs, "Let's go pack our bags, huh?" Coleen smiled, "I think we should get out of here." She nodded, stroking Raimy's cheek softly whilst heading upstairs.


	59. Reunited

**Reunited**

* * *

"Mr Shelby, I'm sorry to bother you so late at night."

"Well you are, what is it?" Johnny asked, standing at the door to house, facing a worker from the business who he had keep an eye on things going on around them. Like a security guard almost.

"April's husband is on a flight out here right now, with a few other people." The man informed him as Johnny raised his eyebrows.

"I see." Johnny nodded, "Ok. Thank you." He nodded, shutting the door over.

"Who was that?" Teresa asked, walking down the stair, tying her bath robe tightly.

"Simon." Johnny turned around to her, "Phil is on his way here." He shook his head, "He must have found out something."

"How could he have?" Teresa questioned.

"He's a CIA spy. This was always going to be difficult to hide." Johnny nodded.

"So we just give her up?" Teresa asked, "Let him come take her and that's it?" She said, "No. Absolutely not. We'll have to bring her here to the house, lock her up until he goes away." She nodded as Johnny shook his head.

"If he knows she is alive, he's not going to stop. Him being on his way here means he knows about the business and he knows April is working here." Johnny said, "The last thing we need is the CIA snooping around."

"So your solution here is to let him take her back to Chicago and we forget all about it?" Teresa questioned.

"For the time being, yes." Johnny nodded.

"I gave her drugs. I think she's gonna take them." Teresa nodded, "Nothing too extreme. Just some cocaine." She said as Johnny nodded, "Surprised someone like her hasn't done drugs before."

"I didn't ask you to give her drugs, I asked you to assure her and be kind to her." Johnny nodded.

"Yeah and I was." Teresa said, "I went down on her and she didn't even return the favour. I'm being nice to her, trust me." She said.

"Can't say I'm not jealous." Johnny admitted, walking through to the living room area as Teresa followed.

"Johnny, what are we going to do? If we let him take her back home that means she finds out her baby is still alive, and that means we'll never get her working here for us again. Look how much she's helped us with in just a few months." Teresa said as Johnny poured himself a whiskey.

"I know that." Johnny said, "But we can't be seen causing any disruption. We let her go now but not forever. We'll get her back." He nodded, "He's gonna come and find her but he's still gonna wanna come see me."

"He'll try and kill you more like." Teresa said.

"I'll make an agreement with him." Johnny said.

"You faked his wife's death. He will kill you." Teresa shook her head.

"I'll negotiate with him. If he tries to go all police on us, I'll take his wife down with us. She'll never get out of prison. She could face the death penalty in some states. He's gonna wanna take my deal." He said.

"And then we lose April?" Teresa said.

"Not forever." Johnny said, "We'll get her back. We will." He nodded, downing his whiskey as Teresa sighed.

* * *

"Are you sure this is it?" Punk asked, pulling outside a block of hostel apartments in the centre of Berlin. Frankie, Dean, Seth and Eve had joined him to help in case any trouble came their way, but with Frankie's tech help, along with their own knowledge, they'd managed to track AJ and find footage of her in Berlin, leading her all the way to these hostels.

"This is it." Frankie nodded, "You want us to come with?" He asked.

"No, I got this." Punk nodded, taking a deep breath. Little over twenty four hours ago he was doing his best to try and get over his wife, realise she was never coming back, and now he was here with the possibility of finding her. It was crazy.

"You got your gun?" Eve asked worriedly.

"Yeah." Punk nodded.

"Badge?" Dean asked.

"Yes." Punk said, "Getting out of the car and closing the door over as he headed off into the apartment building.

Meanwhile in the car an awkward silence fell over them all as they sat quietly.

"I know you guys hate me." Frankie said, sitting in the front whilst Dean and Seth sat in the back with Eve in the middle.

"Yeah, we do." Dean nodded.

"Well I don't." Eve actually corrected as Dean nudged her.

"I'm just here to help Phil. He was a good friend to me before he… befriended you guys." Frankie said, "He did a lot for me when he didn't have to."

"Before you dumped him and went to work for the ugly FBI?" Dean corrected him, "You don't have a friend as good as Phil and forget he exists, like you did. I'm surprised he can even look at you."

"He can because he's mature and grown up enough to let things go. Unlike you clearly." Frankie said.

"Dude, we never like one another and it's gonna stay that way. Don't make me roll my sleeves up." Dean warned whilst Seth rolled his eyes and Eve pushed Dean to get him to shut up.

"Can we just… show our support for Phil, please." Frankie said, "And hope he finds his frickin wife who he thought was dead all this time."

"I agree." Eve said, particularly looking at Dean who just grumbled and looked out of the window.

Meanwhile Punk was halfway up the building. He was knocking on doors, showing his badge and asking around but people either weren't answering or didn't understand what he was saying or what he wanted, so he continued just to knock on the doors. He wasn't prepared for if by chance, AJ opened up the door to one of them.

He got to the top almost when he knocked on a door with no answer. He tried the door, wondering if it was unlocked when thankfully it was. He knew there was a chance it was someone else's apartment but he was taking a look around anyway.

He walked on in, closing the door behind him, keeping his hand clutching his gun as he walked through the apartment. He noticed the drugs on the coffee table in the sitting area, assuming he was obviously in the wrong place when suddenly he felt someone grab on him from behind, pulling him down to their level by the neck and pressing their gun against him. He never thought he would get butterflies and a feeling of relief when he felt that gun press against his head, but he knew exactly who it was behind him.

AJ took a minute to notice the colours on the man's hands, as soon as she realised it was him, she began to feel him and realise it was his body. She immediately let him go, dropping her gun as he turned around to her.

"Oh my God." AJ whispered as Punk looked at her. He never thought he'd see her face again and to see it, right in front of him, his heart was full and he was just so relieved, "Phil?" She gulped as he nodded. She walked close to him until it turned into a run, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he caught her.

She began to cry because she thought it was impossible that he was here. He wasn't supposed to know she was even alive let alone where she actually was. The feelings of sadness and helplessness melted away as she felt him squeeze her tight.

"I can't believe you're here." Punk shook his head, burying his head into her neck into her hair. He never thought he'd get to hold her and hug her again. He felt like he was dreaming.

He lifted his head from her shoulder, listening as she cried into him when his eyes met with the drugs on the table again, gulping but not willing to let go of her just yet.

They hugged for several minutes, neither being able to let go or believe they were really in each other's presence.

"I can't believe you're here." AJ shook her head, eventually pulling back, drying her puffy eyes as she shook her head. She'd missed his face, his hugs, the sound of his voice.

"Me? You… I thought you were dead." Punk shook his head, "All this time." He ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry for all of this." AJ shook her head as Punk shook his head.

"No, this isn't you. Who-Who did this? What's going on?" He asked her in a more serious tone, "And why are there drugs here?" He looked over to the coffee table as AJ turned around and gulped. There was no way she was going to admit they had been given to her.

"They're not mine." AJ assured him. Now she felt like an idiot for even considering to take them, but she was so depressed, feeling so worthless and helpless. Now that she'd saw his face it was like she was back to being that strong, powerful woman again.

"Who is doing this to you? Who faked your death?" He shook his head.

"This American mob family. They own a whiskey company here. The boss, he had connections to the nineteen group and he knew about me. He faked my death to have me come work for him." She nodded, "He must have had people working in the states. I think someone gave me something in the hotel we were at, something that made me go into labour and then it was set up for me to bleed out in the elevator." She nodded, "He's been getting to me do jobs again." She shook her head, "I've been back in prison." She said as Punk shook his head, "And he told me Raimy was dead." She sighed as Punk shook his head.

"Raimy is fine. She's perfect." Punk assured as AJ smiled, drying her tears, "You don't have to worry about her." He nodded

AJ was too caught up in the moment to remember about him and Coleen and everything her sister had claimed. She was just so glad to see his face.

"How did you find out about me?" AJ questioned.

"Coleen told me that you sent letters to her. She said she was frightened to tell me at first in case something bad happened. But I'm so glad she did." He shook his head as AJ just nodded.

"I'm so glad you're here." AJ shook her head, "I was scared to go to you in case… in case something bad happened. These people are dangerous." She shook her head, "Not like a dangerous I've ever witnessed. They're different. They're mentally dangerous." She nodded.

"You don't have to be scared anymore." Punk shook his head, wrapping his arms back around her as she fell against him again. He just wanted to hold her forever. Forgetting about everything going on around them, having his wife back in his arms, from the dead practically, it was the best feeling in the world.

"I missed you so much." AJ cried, so much tears running down in her cheeks. It took a lot for her to cry but she was just full of emotion.

"I missed you." Punk cupped her face, pressing his lips against her, kissing her softly as she kissed back desperately, wrapping her arms around him. She'd dreamed about his kiss the entire time, being back with him so closely. She instantly felt better and like she could face anything with him beside her.


	60. Going Home

**Going Home**

* * *

After embracing each other for a little while, they realised they didn't have all day to be admiring each other's every movement, as much as it was tempting to do so, especially for Punk who had thought all this time his wife was dead and buried.

"We need to get you out of here." Punk nodded to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"How? Phil, they probably know you're already here. They'll not let me go." She shook her head, "I know this guy. He's one step ahead."

"Well then we'll be two." Punk said, "You're not staying here. You're gonna take me to this guy and I'm gonna have a chat with him, and then we're gonna leave and we're gonna go back to Chicago." He nodded as she looked at him. He already gave her so much hope, so much confidence, but she this family were very dangerous and she didn't want anyone getting hurt, that would be the last thing either of them wanted, not when they'd finally found one another again.

"What if something happens. You can't go in alone." AJ warned him.

"I can. I'll be fine." Punk nodded.

"You know you can't involve the cops, right? He'll take me down and I know my life is a mess, and I have fifteen different fucking ID's but… he'll bring me down with him in any way possible." She said as Punk nodded.

"I'm not gonna involve the cops." Punk assured her, "And you're gonna be fine." He said, "Have you got anything valuable in here?" He asked her as she looked around and realised she didn't actually have anything valuable.

"No, I don't." AJ shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Ok then we gotta go." He told her as she nodded, heading for the door as he followed behind and closed it over.

They rushed down the apartment block and out of the building, approaching the car that was waiting as AJ saw it was their friends and also a new face. She'd missed all of their faces so much, regardless of how close she really was to them.

There wasn't much time to all hug and embrace. AJ had to squeeze into the back with Eve, Dean and Seth whilst Punk got behind the wheel.

"Took your time." Dean said, squashed against the door.

"Right, it's not like I'd just saw my wife who I thought was dead." Punk shook his head as AJ smiled, she'd missed them all, even all their annoying quirks.

"Did you get a quick one in?" Seth nodded as Punk rolled his eyes and pulled back onto the road.

"April, you gotta direct me." Punk nodded.

"Yeah, just keep going on this road." AJ nodded.

"Where are we going?" Frankie asked.

"Who is this?" AJ asked with concern. Punk knew a new face would be hard for AJ to see. She only trusted very few people and it took her a long time to come around to people.

"It's ok. We can trust him." Punk nodded, "This is Frankie. He's an old friend." He said.

"Nice to meet you, April." Frankie nodded, sitting in the front as AJ turned to Eve who just gave her a reassuring nod to let her know that Frankie was a decent human being.

"Yeah, you do I guess." AJ shook her head.

"Am I going straight here?" Punk asked.

"No, right." AJ nodded.

"Where are we going?" Frankie asked again.

"To the bastards who did this to her." Punk said, "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"No you're not." Dean laughed like a father, "Absolutely not."

"I am. And you're gonna stay here in the car and make sure AJ goes nowhere, am I clear?" Punk asked them turning right.

"You can't go in there alone, Phil." Eve said with concern.

"Actually." AJ said, "He's not the type to have a big army. He probably wants to talk to you." AJ admitted, "I still don't think you should go completely alone." She said worriedly. Any sign of her husband in danger was terrifying.

"I'll be fine. I've been in worst situations." Punk shook his head as Frankie raised his eyebrows.

"Like what?" Frankie scoffed as Dean piped up.

"A terrorist almost chopped his head off." Dean told him as Frankie turned to Punk.

"What the fuck." Frankie shook his head.

"Bet you don't get that in the FBI." Punk said, "Where to, Ape?"

"Oh, left." AJ nodded, keeping her eyes out the window, "And then it's the big house on the right."

"So this is some gang family?" Eve asked her, "They did this to you?"

"Yeah, the guy, main guy…. Johnny, he knew about me and my connection in the Russian government. He was something to do with the nineteen." She said, "He wanted me to come work for him and obviously he knew I wouldn't go willingly so he faked my death. He also told me Raimy was dead. I knew she wasn't." She said, "So I've been doing work for him for the past few months. I was even back in a prison." She shook her head.

"Oh my God." Eve shook her head, "Raimy is fine. She's perfect, AJ." She said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"This is it?" Punk asked, pulling up outside the house.

"Yeah, that's it." AJ nodded, "I can come in with you."

"Absolutely not." Punk said, "You're never gonna have to see these people again." He promised, putting his gun down his jeans at the side, "Just all of you stay here, in the case anything goes down then just drive away." He nodded.

"Well that's not fucking happening." AJ almost laughed, "Please be careful." She said, leaning into the front and kissing him whilst everyone sat awkwardly.

"Ok, you guys can do that later." Dean said as AJ pulled back, kissing his cheek before sitting back down as Punk got out of the car. She knew he'd be fine. He knew how to protect himself and for some reason he knew Johnny wouldn't hurt him. He was just curious to know what he would say.

Punk walked up to the large door of the house and knocked on it. He wasn't scared. Like he'd said, he'd been in many situation worse than this, and still lived to tell the tale. If anything he was ready to explode on this man, on this family, for doing what they had done to his wife. For making her a puppet and taking her from everything she loved.

He waited until finally there was an answer at the door where he saw who he supposed was Johnny Shelby, standing at the door and looking on at him, as if he had been expecting him.

"Phil?" Johnny nodded as Punk walked into the house, "Come… in, I guess." Johnny nodded, shutting the door and turning around as Punk stood in the doorway, looking across at him as Johnny folding his arms, "I was expecting you."

"So you know what's coming?" Punk nodded.

"No, what's coming?" Johnny asked, "You know what, I respect you. I do. I mean I did everything in my power to make your wife a ghost and you still found her." He said, "And I can only assume it's because you love her, you want to protect your family and there is no one who understands that more than me. Family. Family is everything." Johnny nodded, "And I get that."

"So you understand that destroying mine… it's gonna have consequences." Punk said as Johnny smiled a little.

"I think we can work something out, Phil." Johnny nodded, "I can let you go away and take April home and live your life. I'm fine to do that. But that means you leave us alone. No cops, no CIA, no one snooping around my business-"

"I'm not talking about cops or the CIA." Punk assured him as Johnny looked at him, "This is personal. It's not anything to do with work." He said, "You made me believe my wife was dead. You made me believe that my daughter would grow up without a mom. And you brought AJ here and you did exactly what everyone else has done her entire life. You controlled her, you trapped her, you made her your puppet." He said, "So no… I'm not just gonna walk away from that and forget it ever happened." He shook his head, "Did you think I was really just gonna… nod my head and leave?" He laughed a little as Johnny looked across at him. He was really bargaining on Punk doing exactly that.

"It's easier for everyone. All you have to do is walk out of here and go home, and that's the end of all of this." Johnny said.

"No, but what about all the pain you've caused? Huh? Putting my wife in prison, having her work for you, telling her that her baby died… I'm not walking away from that doing nothing." He shook his head, "And it's cute you thought I would." He said.

"Well what do you want then?" Johnny shrugged, "What can I give you? What can I do?"

"Nothing." Punk shook his head, "I'm just gonna kill you." He nodded, taking out his gun and pulling the trigger as he watched the blood splat all over the walls, a little going on his neck, looking on at the wound in Johnny's head.

He inhaled deeply before putting his gun in his pocket and walking out of the house. He would never have turned into a killer, but this wasn't something he could calm down from at any point, not unless he knew the man behind it was dead and gone.

Meanwhile AJ was sitting on the sidewalk with Dean, puffing on a cigarette which he'd gave her as they chatted about what was going on.

"He's coming." Dean told AJ who quickly stubbed out the cigarette, dusting her hands off and standing up as she watched him approach the car.

"What happened?" AJ asked him.

"He's letting you go. We leave and he stays out of our lives. As long as we don't have cops involved, he's gonna leave us alone." Punk nodded to them.

"Great." Dean nodded, getting back into the car as Punk looked across at AJ who was looking at him funnily.

"Are you ok?" AJ asked him, walking over to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"I'm fine." Punk nodded, "We can go home now." He said, kissing her head softly and holding her tightly as she relaxed against him. She took his word. She'd always take his word.

"I'm gonna see Raimy." She smiled to herself, leaning back as Punk smiled and nodded.

"She's gonna love you. She's the best." He shook his head as AJ smiled and nodded, "Come on let's… let's get the fuck out of here." Punk nodded, pecking her lips softly as she kissed back, "Was Dean smoking on you?" He chuckled, getting into the car as AJ just faked a laugh.

"Uh… yeah." AJ laughed, getting back into the squashed car as Punk started the engine.

It was only then she noticed the little blood on his neck. She knew he wasn't a violent man, not unnecessarily, but she realised what had really happened here, and just like he stood by her and protected her for all the chaos she once made, she would always do the same.

"Wait…" AJ said, "One last kiss." She smiled, leaning forward into the front, kissing him softly whilst rubbing the blood off his neck.

"Come on." Dean rolled his eyes.

Punk realised she was rubbing his neck clean as she kissed him, she pulled back once it was gone as he looked in her eyes.

"Let's go home." AJ nodded to him, kissing his cheek and sitting back down in the back as she saw the blood was successfully rubbed off, watching him pull away from the space, glancing to her in his rear view mirror as they looked at one another tellingly.


	61. Gone

**Gone**

* * *

"Can you give us a minute?" AJ asked, walking over into the rows of waiting seats at the airport with a coffee for her and Punk, watching as the rest of the guys nodded and cleared off. They were waiting for their flight being called and she wanted to talk to him alone, in private, the guys could understand that.

"Thanks." Punk nodded, taking the coffee from her as she sat down beside him, "You ok?" He turned to her. He still couldn't believe he had her back in his life again. The past forty eight hours had been a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

"I'm fine." AJ nodded, "You?" She asked him as he nodded.

"Apart from not believing you're really sitting here beside me… I'm fine." He nodded as she smiled, placing her hand on his thigh.

"I know what you did." AJ said quietly as Punk turned to her, "And it's ok."

"What are you talking about?" Punk shrugged as AJ made a face.

"Come on. You think you can hide from me? I know you. Just like you know me." AJ said, "And do you really think me of all people is gonna judge you?" She asked him as Punk sipped on his coffee, "He wasn't a good man. At all. He tried to destroy us. Our family. Something good we finally had." She said, "I'm glad you did what you did." She nodded as Punk looked at her.

"No one can know." Punk shook his head, "This wasn't any kind of operation, it wasn't a case we were looking at. CIA gets word of this then… I don't know what could happen." He said as AJ nodded.

"Of course I'm not gonna say anything." AJ said, "Don't be worried." She shook her head, "This is over now. We can go home." She said as he nodded, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her head as she leaned into him, "I can't wait to see her." She shook her head, already thinking about her baby girl, finally getting the chance to be her mother.

"She's the best." Punk shook his head as AJ smiled, looking up at him.

"How have you been with her?" AJ asked him, "Is she a handful?" She wondered. She wasn't experienced like him. They had planned on working out this parenthood thing together but she had no real idea on what it was to be a parent, even if she was one.

"A little. Sometimes." Punk said, "She gets funny around 6, before her last bottle for the day. She does this little whining thing. Sometimes she's fussy going down but she's perfect." He shook his head, "And she's just a little mini you. That was a little difficult." He admitted as she smiled.

"And you called her Raimy." AJ smiled as he nodded, "I thought you didn't like that name."

"I did because you loved it." Punk nodded, "It was the name that kept popping up in my head and… and she suits it." He said as AJ smiled.

"I can't wait to hold her." AJ shook her head with a sigh as Punk smiled.

He couldn't imagine how she'd felt all this time being kept away from them, being kept away from their baby who she'd barely got to meet. To be going home where they could actually be a family was the biggest blessing ever, even if what he'd just done was looming over his head.

"She's smiling too. Well she has been for a while." Punk nodded, "It's when you kiss her nose or even just touch it. She instantly smiles." He said as AJ smiled. She loved how involved he was. It was clear he was hands on with Raimy and part of her was very jealous but very thankful that her baby had someone so wonderful like him as her father.

"I can't wait to see her smile." AJ smiled to herself. It was things she had been dreaming about.

"I said I'd give your sister a phone when I got to you but she… she's not picking up." Punk shook his head as AJ nodded slowly. It was hard to think of anything other than her husband and her baby daughter, and how she was finally reuniting with them, but hearing her sister being mentioned, she started to wonder if those claims she had made were true.

"You've been sleeping with her?" AJ questioned as Punk looked up from his phone immediately.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"It's fine, I mean… I was dead. I assume you were upset. Burying your emotions in her. Literally." She widened her eyes and shook her head, "I'm not gonna be mad." She said, even though deep down she was hurt and completely angry. More so at her sister because she knew she was alive all this time.

"Wait… wait a minute." Punk put his hands up, "I'm not sleeping with your sister. I didn't sleep with her." He said, "Where'd you get that from?" He questioned, wondering if she had just assumed that was the case.

"You haven't slept with her?" AJ asked. She would always take his word and trust it, she had no reason not to. He was just about the only person she'd ever trusted in her entire life and that wasn't going to change.

"No." Punk said, although he knew it was her right to know about the situation that did happen between himself and Coleen, "Look, some shit went down but we didn't sleep together. No way." He said.

"What shit went down?" AJ asked him as Punk sighed to himself, listening as their flight got called.

"Your sister, I don't know I think she has like a crush on me?" He said in a questionable tone, "She thought it'd be best for us to… move on together, so we could raise Raimy, so Raimy still had a mom figure in her life and so we could help each other get through everything." Punk said, "Honestly, Ape… I think she's struggling a little bit, she's been acting different ever since you left, I mean I was a little worried to leave Raims with her but I know she wouldn't hurt her. I know that for sure." He said, "But she's been a little difficult, I guess."

"No kidding." AJ nodded, having sensed that when she last saw her sister and how strange she was acting, "You think she's snapping?" AJ questioned, standing up as they headed to their gate.

"I'm not sure. I just think maybe her time in Russia, being in those camps, it's maybe caught up to her and she's struggling." He nodded, "And I've tried to help her, and you know what she was great to me after you had… supposedly died." He shook his head, it all seeming ridiculous now, "She made sure I got out of bed and made sure I spent time with Raimy but… something just changed in her." He said as AJ nodded to herself.

"I'll see her when we get home." She nodded. She wasn't going to tell Punk that Coleen had claimed to have slept with him, especially not when she'd heard that her sister seemed to actually be snapping a little. She knew how it felt to feel unstable, unloved and unwanted. She wanted to deal with this as best as she could, and actually help her sister. She knew better than to doubt her husband's loyalty, even though she still didn't know what 'shit' went down that he was talking about.

"We can't talk about what happened in that house tonight." Punk whispered as they walked to their gate, "As far as we know, me and Johnny had a chat, he agreed to let you go if we left his business and all the illegal activities alone. Word will get out he's dead but… we'll assume it was someone else. He's probably a lot of people's targets so it should be believable enough." He nodded.

"It's gonna be fine." She nodded, linking her arm through his and kissing his arm, "You did what you had to do and now we can go home." She nodded to him as he looked down at her.

"I love you." He said, leaning down and kissing her softly as she cupped his cheek, stopping on their tracks as they enjoyed another sweet kiss. Everything he'd done was to keep her safe and protected. He would do anything for her. This was all proof.

* * *

They took the flight home. AJ barely sat on her own seat as she was leaned into Punk the entire time. It was a long flight so they had plenty time to talk, but they mostly just curled into one another and soaked in the moment of being in each other's arms again. They spent a lot of time speaking about Raimy. AJ was curious to see how motherhood would be like and was nervous to be a full time mom after being taken away from that opportunity. She knew she'd do anything for her baby, though.

Once they got off the flight, they all went their separate ways. Punk thanked them all, as did AJ, for coming along and helping. He knew they'd meet up again and maybe they could even celebrate at one point, but for now, he and AJ needed some time to wrap their heads around everything, and everyone was great enough to give them that time.

"I can't wait to see her." AJ shook her head, getting out of the car.

She knew she could have killed Johnny right away when she realised what was going on, and join Punk right away, but she was living in that controlled fear where she didn't know what would happen if she made a certain action. Now that she had Punk with her again, now he knew what was going on, she felt safe to come home, safe to come home and be a mother and pick up her life where she left it, even if she was slightly scared of the consequences they faced after killing a very notorious gang leader.

"She'll be sleeping but you can normally lift her and she doesn't wake." Punk nodded to her as AJ followed him to their house.

Having a home was never something she'd taken for granted, so being able to come back to it freely, and be with her family, it was the best feeling in the world.

"Oh, no I won't lift her. I'll just stare at her all night." She laughed a little as Punk smiled, unlocking the door and walking on in. He figured Coleen would be sleeping too as it was 1am.

"Good to be home?" Punk smiled to her as AJ leaned against the shut door and sighed to herself with relief.

"You have… no idea." AJ sighed and shook her head as Punk smiled, walking into the living room and noticing Coleen wasn't there.

"Probably sleeping in our bed." He rolled his eyes.

"She's been sleeping beside you?" AJ questioned.

"No." Punk said, "When I was out of town just there, I went back to that hotel we stayed at before everything happened, I got back and she said she was sleeping in it. She was also… wearing your clothes." He said as AJ shook her head.

"What the hell has gotten into her?" AJ shook her head, it almost sounded like her little sister had become obsessed with becoming her, taking her place physically and mentally, and that was a little worrying.

"I have no idea. Maybe you could get through to her. I tend to just… lose it." He admitted, walking upstairs as AJ followed.

"I'll need to talk to her." AJ nodded. The comfort she felt in walking up her own stairs, thinking about sleeping in her own bed tonight, tangling herself around her husband, being woken up by her daughter and getting to experience being her mom properly. It was like a dream.

"We might need to sleep on the couch tonight." Punk laughed a little, opening up their bedroom door, looking on at the empty bed which was made up neatly with very clearly no one there.

He stood still, trying to process why Coleen wasn't in the house, especially when it was so late. He rushed by AJ and burst into the nursery, walking over to the crib which was empty, running his hand through his hair and shaking his head.

"She's not here?" AJ questioned with worry.

"Neither is Raimy." Punk gulped, turning to AJ who looked at him worriedly, turning a pale colour as they both thought of and knew what was going on.


	62. Hide Out

**Hide Out**

* * *

"She's not fucking answering her phone." Punk shook his head, pacing up and down in the nursery, trying to phone Coleen but it just kept going to voicemail. He was terrified because they'd come to realise that a lot of Raimy's clothes, bottles and cuddly toys had also disappeared, which only told them that Coleen had taken her with the intention not to return.

"Let me leave her a message." AJ nodded, trying to stay calm as she could see her husband was beginning to freak out, "Maybe if she knows I'm here… I don't know, she might come back." She shrugged, taking his phone from him and letting it ring out to voicemail again.

"Coleen, it's April." AJ said, "Look, we know you've taken Raimy somewhere." She said, "And we're not mad." She said as Punk just shook his head. He was mad alright, "We're just worried, that's all. I was really excited to see you, and to see Raimy." AJ shook her head, "So please just… just call us back and at least let us know you're both ok. That's all we want." AJ nodded, hanging up and passing his phone back to him with a sigh.

"I'll kill her." Punk shook his head, "If one hair is misplaced from her little head, I'll kill her." Punk said, running back downstairs as AJ ran her hand through her hair, following him down and into the kitchen.

"Do you have any idea where she would take her?" AJ questioned.

"No, absolutely no idea." Punk said, "I should never have left her with her." Punk shook his head, "Eve should have just stayed and taken care of her. Now this is on me. Anything happens to her, it's on me."

"No, it's not." AJ said, "Pull yourself together." AJ warned him, "You're no use to anyone when you're freaking out. We'll find her. You said yourself… Coleen would never hurt Raimy, so at least we know that." She nodded.

"No but she has tried to kidnap her, April." Punk shook his head, "You've not been living with her the past few months. She's became… stalkerish and obsessive and… really obsessed with becoming you. She was calling herself Raimy's mom." He said. He felt like he should have saw a stunt like this coming but his head had been so far up his ass he hadn't thought twice.

"She was?" AJ questioned, a little angrily. It was clear her sister was in need of some medical help.

"Yeah. And now she's got our daughter." Punk shook his head, opening up the laptop.

"What are you doing?" AJ asked him.

"I'm gonna try and get into her emails and see if she's booked any flights or hotels." He shook his head.

"Raimy would need a passport." AJ said, "Unless you got her one."

"No, I didn't." Punk said.

"And she'd need money, a lot of it, to go somewhere far away." AJ nodded.

"She's not got the mental stability to actually think any of this through though. She could be sleeping in the streets for all we know." Punk shook his head, trying different passwords for the email address, "I'm in." He said with relief.

"What was her password?" AJ shook her head.

"You don't wanna know." Punk rolled his eyes.

"Your name?" AJ folded her arms.

"Mhm." Punk nodded, scrolling through the emails as AJ shook her head, sitting down beside him and looking on, "Here… she's booked into a hostel." Punk pointed as AJ shook her head.

"She's taken my baby into a hostel with… junkies and prostitutes hanging around?" AJ shook her head, "I'll be the one killing her." She shook her head.

"Come on." Punk said after writing down the address, "Let's go." He said as she followed him out of the kitchen, heading out of the house and back into the car.

* * *

"I can't believe she did this." AJ shook her head, getting out of the car after they drove to the hostel, walking down the street. It was the rougher part of town and Punk's stomach was already turning at the thought of Raimy being in danger.

"I can." Punk shook his head. He'd hit his final straw with her. He couldn't forgive her for this. He understand that perhaps there was some indication towards Coleen's mental health, and maybe he shouldn't have left Raimy in her care alone, but he was still completely mad.

"I think after this… she needs to see a doctor or a specialist… someone who can help her. She's not herself. That's very clear." AJ shook her head, walking into the hostel.

She understood what it felt like to be mentally weak and unstable, and so she was trying to take things lightly, even though the thought of their baby being in such a dump was horrifying her, she was still trying to be a good sister, even after everything Coleen had said and done. AJ knew she definitely needed help.

"Excuse me." Punk walked up to the small desk where a man sat reading a book, looking up with anger that someone had disturbed him, "Hi, I'm looking for a young girl who is possibly staying here. Dark hair. Kinda short. With a baby." Punk nodded.

"I'm not inclined to tell you anything." The man said with attitude as Punk shook his head and took his badge and gun out, sitting it on the desk.

I'm not messing around." Punk said as the man looked on and sat up a little, "Her name is Coleen. Has she got a room here?" He questioned as the man nodded.

"Uh…" He looked down at the handwritten book with guests names, "Room 104. Here… a spare key." He said, handing him over a key.

"Thank you." Punk said bluntly, snatching the key from him and walking away quickly as AJ followed.

"Well at least she's here." AJ said, taking a deep breath as they climbed the stairs, walking by people fast asleep on the stairs, it was then Punk took AJ's hand. She smiled to herself. She'd missed having him by her side.

They walked along he long corridor, listening to the God awful noises coming from the rooms. Sex, crying babies, fighting, dogs barking and every other disturbing sound.

"This is like a damn camp. Why would she come here?" AJ shook her head, finally getting to the room as Punk unlocked it, both of them walking into the run down room.

Punk immediately saw Raimy lying on the bed, holding her stuffed giraffe and laying at peace. It was relief to see her.

"Thank God." Punk sighed to himself, walking over to the bed and lifting her up into his arms, blanket included as he wrapped her in it and kissed her head. AJ walked over, tears filling her eyes. It was the first time she'd gotten to see her baby in her husband's arms. It was the first time she could see her baby daughter and not feel like things were falling apart around her.

"Is she ok?" AJ smiled, tears of relief and happiness running down her cheeks, standing close to Punk as she took Raimy's hand between her thumb and finger.

"She's fine." Punk nodded, closing his eyes whilst Raimy rested her head into him, "She's fine." He said quietly to himself as AJ smiled, stroking the baby girl's cheek.

They then heard the toilet door open from the side, both of them turning around as Coleen emerged, wiping her nose and looking over at them with hazy eyes. It was very obvious she was on drugs, and that only made Punk madder.

"What the hell have you taken?" AJ asked, walking over to her and taking her by the wrist to inspect her as Coleen grabbed her arm back.

"Get off me." Coleen spat, stumbling over a little whilst Punk got Raimy's things together.

"What the hell are you playing at? Taking Raimy? Taking her to a place like this?" She spat, "Being high whilst doing so might I add." AJ shook her head.

"I was… I was protecting her from you." Coleen nodded, "You'll ruin her."

"I'll ruin her?" AJ questioned as Coleen nodded, "What's this all about? You… trying to be me? Trying to take my husband? My baby? My whole life?" AJ said, "Why?" AJ shook her head.

"Because you don't deserve any of it." Coleen spat, "You… You're a bad person. I… I did my suffering and I'm left to deal with it. You did yours and you… you took your anger out on other people. Innocent people." She said, "Raimy should not be around that."

"You could never understand what my past was really like so just drop that." AJ nodded, "You need help, Coleen. Maybe, I don't know… maybe it's all catching up to you. Maybe everything that you went through in the camps is hitting you now and… and you need some help to get through it. That's normal. There's help out there and I want to help you through it." She shook her head.

"I don't want your help." Coleen spat with disgust, "You have this perfect life and all you're gonna do is ruin it." She said as AJ grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against the wall as Punk looked over.

"April." Punk said with concern.

"I do not and did not have a perfect life." AJ spat, holding her around the neck, "So don't you ever say that to me ever again." She made clear, "I did everything I could, I still am, to help you, to give you a life, one that I wish I had when I got out." She said, "You return the favour by disrespecting me, my husband… and you try take my baby from me, and take her here to this dump?" She shook her head, "That's below the belt."

"I sucked his dick." Coleen gasped and chuckled as AJ looked at her, "His cock is so big." She smirked as AJ grabbed her head and banged it back against the wall, punching her hard across the face and toppling over her.

Punk shook his head, putting Raimy down safely on the bed before making his way over, pulling AJ from Coleen kicking and screaming.

"After everything I've done for you." A spat hysterically as Coleen sat on the floor wiping her bloody nose and mouth, "I wanted to help you. I wanted us to be sisters." AJ shook her head.

"April, she's not well." Punk reminded her as AJ shook her head.

"I wish you'd just died for real." Coleen shook her head as AJ looked across at her. Not a lot of things could hurt her emotionally but when she'd found her sister by blood, feeling the relief of actually having a member of family out there and being able to get to know one another, it hurt her to see the way things had turned out.

"You need help." AJ shook her head sadly as Coleen just laughed to herself.

"We all need help, babe." Coleen nodded, wiping the blood from her face up her arms and shaking her head.

"I think we should go." Punk nodded to AJ.

"And you." Coleen pointed to him, "You're just as bad as her. You'll play the grieving husband and she won't bat an eye but I know you wanted me." She said as Punk shook his head.

"You need help." Punk nodded, "But we're gonna let you cool off and we're gonna go home. If we haven't made it clear yet… you aren't welcomed." He said, lifting Raimy from the bed into his arms whilst AJ grabbed the stuff with her things in it.

She wanted to help Coleen desperately and not give up on her, but she also wasn't going to stand there and be a verbal punching bag. Punk was right, they needed to cool off.

"I don't wanna come back anyway." Coleen made clear as Punk shook his head.

"Come on, April." Punk nodded, placing his hand on her waist as AJ took one final look at Coleen, shaking her head and drying her tears as she walked out of the room, followed by Punk, closing the door behind them as Coleen sank down to the ground, sitting against the wall and sighing to herself.


	63. Never Gave Up

**Never Gave Up**

* * *

"She's amazing." AJ shook her head, standing in the nursery after they arrived home, holding Raimy in her arms. For the first time she felt like she had all the time in the world with her baby daughter. She was so lost in her little features. Her button nose. Her edgy but adorable smirk she'd make every now and then as she wriggled. Her precious little fingers and toes. She longed to have been able to hold her after giving birth, but she was honestly just grateful that she was getting the chance now, even if things still seemed to be up in the air.

"She's your mini me." Punk smiled, looking on at Raimy fast asleep in AJ's arms. The sight in front of him had only been a dream of his for so long. He would dream about what it would be like for AJ to be around, what it'd be like to see her with their daughter, and now he finally could. It was the best, and it was enough to forget about all the other noise going on around them.

"You think?" AJ smiled, stroking Raimy's cheek softly.

"Absolutely." Punk nodded, "She's got your eyes." He smiled. It was nice to have some quiet throughout everything that had been going on, to just stand in their baby's nursery, talk in soft voices and watch her as she slept. AJ felt like she was getting the proper chance to truly fall in love with her baby girl.

"I could just… I could stare at her forever." AJ shook her head, "She's like… super cute." She said as Punk smiled, "Like… we're in trouble." She smiled up at him as he nodded.

"Exactly what I thought." Punk laughed.

"What was she like when she was born?" AJ asked, sitting down on the rocking chair in the corner of the room. Of course she was doubting herself that she could be a good mother, but it was only because she hadn't gotten the proper chance yet. She promised herself and her baby when she was pregnant that she would do her best to keep this precious angel safe and protected, and that promise still stood.

"She was fly." Punk nodded, "Still is. She's clingy too. You know how Koalas? When you hold them they just… wrap themselves around you? She's like that. Her little hands go around. It's the best." Punk smiled, "She's a great baby." He shook his head, "Feeds well, goes down in her crib good." He said, "I think we're onto a winner." He nodded as AJ smiled.

"I wish I could have held her when she was born." AJ shook her head.

"Me too." Punk nodded.

"What did they even say to you?" AJ questioned. Some things she was still a little confused on regarding how Johnny had managed to pull the whole thing off.

"The doctor brought out Raimy so I figured they did an emergency C section, which they did obviously." He said, "I was so dazed by her, I then asked how you were doing figuring that you were doing ok." He nodded, "They just told me they'd lost you. Too much blood had been lost and there wasn't enough time." He said, "They made it out like they made the choice between saving you or Raimy." He nodded.

"And what would you have rathered?" AJ asked.

"You can't possibly ask me that." Punk shook his head, "Neither. I wanted both of you to be safe." He said, "I just… I couldn't believe it. It never sunk in. Maybe in my heart I knew I hadn't lost you." He said, "It just never felt real." He said as AJ nodded, "How did he do it? How did he pull it off?" He asked. Now that they had the time and the peace to talk about it, they could.

"The doctor who was dealing with me was linked with Johnny. I guess they had it all planned out. Kept me in a different place in the hospital, bargained on you not wanting to see my body, which you didn't." She said, "And they also made sure you went to a certain funeral parlour, which Johnny had connections with, so that you could essentially bury an empty coffin." She explained, "I was then transferred to Germany, I rested up for the first month basically and then I was… back to old April I guess." She shook her head.

"Don't say that." Punk sighed.

"Well it's true. I was." AJ nodded, "I thought going against a gang family would put you in danger, or myself. So I just… I had to go along." She said.

"I don't blame you. It's been a rocky few months." Punk said, "We can both agree on that." He nodded.

"Yeah." AJ sighed, looking down at Raimy, "What am I gonna do about Coleen?" She sighed, looking back up at Punk.

"I think we gotta give her space right now. I mean it's obvious she's not acting herself. I think it might be some psychiatric help she needs, and if she's abusing drugs too then she's gonna need help with that. All I'm saying is, give it a day or two for her to cool off and for you to… just rest and be home." He sighed, "God knows we all need it." He shook his head as AJ nodded.

"I just wish it didn't have to be so hard for her. I can tell that's not her. It's not the real her." She shook her head as Punk nodded.

"Of course it's not." Punk understood, "We'll help her." He said as AJ nodded, standing up from the chair.

"I suppose I gotta put her down at some point." She sighed, walking over to the crib and placing Raimy down in it softly, watching her wriggle a little, her little hands going above her head as AJ smiled, "I love you." She whispered, stroking her cheek softly as Punk smiled.

AJ walked on out of the nursery as Punk followed, "I'm gonna take a quick shower." Punk told her as she nodded.

"I'm kinda hungry." AJ admitted, "You want anything? I can order a pizza." She shrugged. She'd missed how her life used to be before it took a turn. How simple things were and how wonderful it was to settle down for the night, order a pizza, watch a movie and cuddle in bed with her husband. She felt so far away from that life, even when she was back in her home again.

"Yeah, order whatever." Punk nodded, rubbing her back softly as she smiled.

"Ok." AJ nodded, walking off downstairs whilst he headed into shower.

She headed into the kitchen and called for a pizza before opening up the back door and sitting outside on the front step, taking out the hidden stash of cigarettes and lighting one, taking a deep breath as she slowly inhaled and blew out. She always prided herself in living a clean life even through all her unfortunate circumstances, but she couldn't help it. She still felt extremely stressed.

"Hey, if you want to shower first I don't mind-" Punk appeared, pausing as he saw her take the cigarette from her mouth, blowing the smoke to the side and trying to hide it as he shook his head, "Uh…" He pointed as AJ stubbed the cigarette out on the stair, as if that would disguise it, "I didn't know you smoked." He said stupidly.

"I don't." AJ made clear.

"Uh… well…" Punk shook his head, "It looks like you do." He said, walking out and sitting down on the step beside her, "Is this a recent thing?" He asked her as she nodded.

"I'm sorry." She rolled her eyes.

"Why are you apologising to me?" Punk shook his head, "I'm not your dad. You can do what you want. It's not a big deal to me." He made clear. He adamantly lived a clean life but he hoped he never made her feel like she had to. Somehow he believed this was just a phase.

"I'm not doing this forever. I just… I started a couple of weeks ago. I was stressed and constantly scared." She rolled her eyes, "It just helped calm me down a little." She nodded, "I've been a mess, Phil." She rubbed her forehead.

"April, you've been through a lot." Punk said, "The main thing that's on our side now is we know the truth and we can handle it together." He said as AJ nodded, watching as he put his hand on her thigh.

"Yeah." AJ nodded in agreement, "It's just… it's the first time in my life where I've not felt control over anything." She shook her head, "That's what scared me. At least before I didn't have a family to worry about or be concerned about." She said, "I just wanted to see you, and Raimy." She said, "And I couldn't." She said, starting to get upset, wiping her tears as Punk wrapped his arm around her, shuffling closer to her and holding her tight into him.

"It's ok." Punk nodded, "It's been difficult. For you especially." He nodded.

"And you. You thought I was dead." AJ looked up at him as Punk nodded.

"It's not been great for either of us." Punk concluded, "But we're here now and we can face everything together, just like we did before." He said as she looked up at him and nodded.

"What happened with you and Coleen?" AJ asked. She couldn't help it, "What she said… was that true? You didn't sleep with her but-"

"Yeah." Punk nodded, taking his arm away from her and running his hand through his hair, "I regretted it the second after and to be honest, my head wasn't really in the right place. I wanted to get out of it." He said as she nodded, "I would never want to disrespect you or hurt you. It sounds ridiculous but it happened because I missed you." He said as she nodded.

"Doesn't sound ridiculous." She shook her head. Of course she was bitter and mad that another woman had touched him but she understood and was not going to blame him or get mad at him, "I… fooled around with Johnny's wife." She nodded. She would never lie to him. It wasn't her style.

"What?" Punk shook his head.

"Same thing… I just… I missed you and I wanted to just feel nothing." She said, "Or feel anything but… depression and lonliness." She sighed, "So… some stuff happened. Nothing too heavy but… I wouldn't not tell you." She said as Punk nodded.

"We've both been a little lost, huh?" He nodded. He too was of course hurt that someone else was with his wife the way he only wanted to be, but just like AJ, he understood her pain and sadness throughout all of this.

"Yeah." AJ sighed, "We have." She said, "I thought about doing drugs the other night. That's how bad I got." She admitted as Punk looked at her.

"Those drugs… they were yours?" Punk assumed.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, "I never took anything. I swear." She said defensively, "But I mean… I was going to, and then you came." She said as Punk nodded, "What if I took them? What use would I be to Raimy like that? Or to you?"

"I wouldn't have judged you. Not after what you've been through." Punk said, "I would have helped you and treated you just the same." He nodded, and she truly believed that because he was the best, and she was of course never scared to be honest with her own husband.

"Thank you for coming when you did." AJ nodded, "And not giving up on me… even when you thought I was dead." She said as Punk nodded.

"I'd never give up on you." He shook his head, kissing the side of her temple softly as she smiled, "We got a lot to talk about, that's clear. I'm just… I'm just glad you're here." He shook his head as AJ nodded.

"Me too." AJ said with a crack in her voice. She was so thankful to be home. The only home she'd ever known. With her family.

He leaned down, kissing her softly as she kissed back, cupping his cheek, sharing a sweet kiss before he pulled back, "You wanna shower first?" He asked her.

"No, you go." AJ nodded, "I'll go later. I'll listen out for the pizza." She smiled as he nodded.

"Here." Punk said, opening up the cigarette box and handing her one, "I'm not gonna confiscate them." He laughed a little as she took it from him.

"I will stop." AJ promised him, "I will, honestly." She said.

"And I'll help you if you do." Punk nodded, "I'm gonna go shower." He said as she nodded, smiling as he stood back up and left the back door, heading back upstairs whilst AJ lit up another cigarette, one which she was glad she could have without feeling like it was a massive secret.

There was still lots to talk about between them both, and there was still so much uncertainty going on around them but they had the upper hand with everything just by being reunited again. She was so thankful to be in her home again with her family.


	64. Settled In

**Settled In**

* * *

AJ could have spent the rest of the night in the shower after they ate something. She was in heaven just standing under the roasting hot water, washing her hair, feeling the comfort of her home.

She reckoned the reason she'd never really had a home was so she didn't have to worry about losing it because now she realised just how precious her home was, with her family.

She eventually got out of the shower, drying herself and giving her hair a dry with the towel as it fell damp around her face. There was still so much stuff looming over them. The consequences of Punk's actions in Germany, her sister, the fact she now had to be this amazing mom she wanted to be. There was a lot that was still going on but just to be home was a huge relief. She couldn't wait to lie beside her husband in bed, feel his hands on her body again, what she had been dreaming about the entire time.

She put on some shorts and t-shirt before leaving the bathroom, looking on as Punk was laid up on the bed, looking through his phone.

"Dean text me." Punk said, "He said they'll keep their tabs on the whiskey company and see what's going on. He'll let me know if anything suspicious comes up." He nodded.

"Like a dead body?" AJ asked him, standing at the bathroom door as he looked over at her, "You know, we still haven't talked about that." She folded her arms.

"There's nothing to talk about." Punk said.

"Well I disagree." AJ said, "Why did you do it?" She asked him as he looked over at her.

"I thought you were dead all of this time. That was down to him. He put our baby at risk, he put you at risk when he trapped you in that elevator and left you to bleed out." He said, "I couldn't just walk away from him and do nothing. And people like him never truly stay away so his word would mean nothing."

"He has a lot of family. Killing him might have been even worse than letting him live. Because now we have a really angry bunch of people." She said.

"And you're safe, and you're home, and that's the most important thing to me. We'll keep an eye on them and we'll… we'll be ready if something is to go down." He nodded.

"I don't blame you for what you did." AJ assured him and nodded, "And you're right, we'll be ready, maybe the entire of the entire CIA watching them might… I don't know, keep them away." She said, trying to think positively as Punk nodded.

"Maybe." Punk said, "I think tomorrow we should go back and see Coleen, if she's still at the hostel. Have a conversation with her, try and get her some help. I mean maybe she needs to be placed in… in some sort of care, until she gets better." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah, definitely. She just seems to be struggling to adapt and it's taken over her in a strange way." She said, "If anyone knows anything about… not feeling yourself and acting strange then it's me." She nodded, "I guess it's just down to her if she's willing to listen." She said as Punk nodded, "Maybe I should go on my own."

"I can drive and wait outside." He nodded, "I just… I feel like if I let you out of my sight I'm never gonna see you again." He admitted sadly as she looked over to him, frowning slightly and shaking her head.

She began walking over to his side of the bed, taking her t-shirt off which she was completely naked under, shimmying her shorts down as Punk couldn't take his eyes from her. She was so beautiful, as always.

"I'm not going anywhere." She shook her head, climbing over him as he smiled, "Ok?" She nodded, cupping his cheeks and kissing him softly as he placed his hands around her back, sitting up and pulling her body tightly to his, kissing down her neck and throat as she rolled her head back and moaned. She'd missed his love and how well he took care of her.

She pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor, going back to his lips as they collapsed down on the bed, AJ laying on top of him before he turned them around, kissing her neck and down her body as she gasped breathlessly.

There was no one else in the world she shared such a deep connection with. It was only him.

She watched him kiss down her body, lacing her fingers through her hair as he reached her centre, settling his face between her legs and immediately using his mouth on her like he'd been deprived for so long.

"Oh my God." AJ moaned, rolling her head back and cupping her breasts, biting her lip as he used his tongue on her clit, keeping his hands on her waist to give him all the more steadiness, "That feels so good, baby." She moaned, lifting her head as she looked down at him, watching his eyes look up at her as she moaned. All he wanted was to make her feel good, to go back to how they were when they took each other's pain away and could trust each other

"Fuck, I missed this." Punk said before leaning back in, teasing her clit with his tongue, curving his arms around her hips as AJ's back arched.

"I'm gonna cum." AJ moaned breathlessly, putting her hands in her damp hair as Punk looked up, continuing to feast on her until he tipped her over the edge, looking up as she came hard, arching her back and pulling at the bed sheets.

He pulled back, looking up at her body as he climbed back over it, lacing his fingers through her hair as she opened her eyes back up.

"I missed you." AJ shook her head, in a slight moan as he smiled, leaning down and kissing her softly. All the while she began to undo his jeans, pushing them down along with his boxers with her feet, dying to feel him inside of her again. It felt like it had been so long, too long, and she never wanted to be away from him that much ever again, she never wanted to leave his side.

"I missed you." Punk whispered, kissing down her neck whilst she pushed his jeans all the way down, taking her hand and stroking him up and down as he leaned his forehead on her shoulder for a second, taking in her touch again after so long.

"I need you inside of me." AJ begged, wrapping her legs around him as he lifted his head, taking his length and guiding it inside of her, pushing forward as she moaned out in bliss and smiled, "Fuck." She moaned as he kissed her passionately.

He began thrusting in and out of her, kissing her softly as she moaned into his mouth, not being able to help it. She'd missed their intimacy, where it could be just the two of them, in their own private world, exactly how she'd fallen in love with him. Nothing going on around them, so fixed on each other that the whole world could be crumbling down around them but it didn't matter.

"Fuck, April." Punk moaned, thrusting into her as she locked her legs around him tightly, not wanting to let him go as she felt him deep inside of her, fulfilling every dream and longing she had inside of her over the past few months.

Now she truly felt back at home.

* * *

After a long night of passion and holding each other through their pleasure, they fell asleep in one another's arms. It was the first time AJ had fallen asleep and not felt so overpowered by her sadness. Back in his arms again she felt whole and complete.

She eventually got woken up however by the sound of Raimy crying from next door on the little monitor by the bed. She turned to Punk who began to grumble and stir and she figured she'd let him sleep.

"I'll get her." She kissed his shoulder as he nodded sleepily. She figured he'd pretty much been doing this parenting thing alone, and she had a lot to learn. She wanted to be hands on like she had planned, and be the best mother possible. The mother she desperately wanted as a child.

She put on her shorts and t-shirt and headed out of the bedroom, walking on into the nursery where Raimy was crying. It was the first time she'd heard her cry and it was so painful to hear and see.

"Oh, sweet girl. What is it?" AJ shook her head, lifting her from her crib and into her arms, "Huh? Tell mommy." She whispered, bouncing her lightly in her arms, "You need changed? Is that it?" She wondered, walking over to the changing table.

She felt saddened by the fact her daughter was three months old and she was yet to change her diaper, but she was trying not to let it get her down. She was here now and that was the most important part.

"Ok, baby. Be easy with me here." AJ said, reaching for a diaper as she undone her little onesie.

She managed to change her pretty well for the first time. Raimy took it easy on her and just lay there whilst holding her small giraffe.

She sealed the clean diaper and put on a fresh onesie for her before lifting her back up from the table.

"Is that better?" AJ caressed the back of her head, "Huh?" She asked, walking over to the rocking chair in the corner and sitting down with her. She hadn't really got a minute alone with her and it was so nice to just sit and gaze down at the tiny human she'd created.

She never thought she'd have children, but mostly because she never thought she'd be married. It wasn't something she thought she could do after the life she'd lived but a part of her felt like she needed this. She needed this baby girl. She needed the love from her family.

"You're so beautiful." AJ whispered, holding Raimy as she rocked back and forth slowly on the chair, watching as her eyes slowly drifted back off, holding her giraffe sweetly in her hands as AJ smiled. She'd never loved something so little and delicate so much in her entire life. There was so much to learn and that was daunting, but she knew it would be the best experience of her life doing it with her husband. She was just so glad to be home.


	65. Know A Place

**Know A Place**

* * *

"How did you sleep?" Punk asked, walking out of the bathroom the next morning after showering whilst AJ lay in bed awake.

"Good." AJ nodded, "Better than I have for the past few months." She said.

"Did you get up for Raimy?" Punk asked as AJ nodded, "I remember her crying." He said.

"Yeah, I wanted to get up for her." AJ said, "She just needed changed and then we had a little cuddle." She smiled as Punk nodded, "It's not as scary as I thought." She admitted.

"You should see her morning diaper." Punk groaned to himself as AJ smiled.

"I don't mean the diapers." She said, sitting up against the headboard whilst she watched him put on some clothes, "Just… caring for her in general. I didn't think I'd be able to make her stop crying but it didn't take long." She shook her head, "And since I'm practically a stranger, I don't know, I thought it'd be difficult. I know there's a lot more to come." She nodded.

"Honestly, she probably knows you're her mom. And she's a good baby. She's a happy baby." Punk nodded.

"Who would have thought? A kid of mine being happy." AJ shook her head as Punk smiled.

"She is happy." Punk nodded.

"Because you've been doing such a good job with her." AJ said, "She's gonna be your best friend." She nodded as Punk laughed a little.

"Hopefully." Punk smiled as AJ nodded, "Don't feel like you're trying to catch up to me or like this is a race or anything." He said, sitting down on the bed and looking over at her, "You're a natural clearly, and you'll ease into it. It's normal to be nervous. When I first held her in the hospital I… I had absolutely no clue what I was doing, and the fact I didn't have you made me even more nervous." He said as AJ nodded. She couldn't imagine how scared he had to have been, "But we've got this together, just like we planned when you got pregnant." He said as AJ smiled and nodded.

"I really want us to be a family." She said. It was all she'd longed for. She was so close to getting it and then it was ripped away from her at the last minute. Now they had the opportunity to start again, even if they did have some things looming over them. They had one another to get through it.

"We are." Punk nodded, shuffling over and kissing her softly as she kissed back, "Anything that comes our way, we'll be ready." He said as AJ nodded, both of them listening as Raimy began to cry.

"I can get her." AJ nodded immediately.

"Ok. But don't say I didn't warn you about that morning diaper." He said as she smiled, "I'll go make some breakfast." He nodded, leaving the room as AJ got out of bed and headed into the nursery to attend to Raimy.

Caring for her daughter really did come natural and she was surprised at how right it all felt. She was so thankful to be home with her family.

* * *

"Oh, look. She wraps her hand around the bottle." AJ raised her eyebrows, sitting at the kitchen table later on as she fed Raimy in her arms. The baby girl liked to place her hand around the bottle whenever she was fed and AJ thought it was sweet.

She'd changed her diaper and got her ready this morning, and had moved on to feeding her. She felt so lucky to be able to do these things with her now.

"Cute, right?" Punk nodded, sitting down at the table with her, passing her over a coffee as she smiled.

"So cute." AJ nodded, looking down at Raimy.

Punk could have watched her with Raimy all day. It was what he'd been dreaming about this entire time. Having his wife back, having his family all together, it was the best sight in the world and made everything else just disappear.

"Sometimes she doesn't finish her morning bottle but she'll want the rest in like an hour or two." Punk informed her as she nodded, taking in all the information she needed to.

"Do you have any pictures of her when she was just… days old?" AJ wondered as he nodded, taking his phone out.

"Yeah, I took a few." Punk nodded, scrolling through his pictures, not having to go very far to get the few pictures of Raimy in the hospital. He extended his arm and turned the phone around for her to see as she gasped.

"Oh, she's so tiny." AJ raised her eyebrows, "And she had a lot of hair." She laughed a little as Punk smiled and nodded, "Definitely a Puerto Rican baby." She nodded.

"Well I had nothing to do with that." Punk said, sitting his phone back down as AJ smiled.

"I'm not gonna lie to you." AJ said, "I… I'm scared." She nodded as he looked across at her, "I'm scared of what's to come." She nodded, "I mean you don't just kill a really notorious gang leader and… not have any price to pay." She said as he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I know." Punk nodded, "But the way I see it, they're not gonna come charging at us because now they know that the CIA, even if it is just us and a few others, we know what they're up to. Would they risk that just because their leader is now dead?" He shook his head.

"I mean, the entire family is psychotic so… I wouldn't vote against it." AJ said, "And they get away with a lot."

"And you're our secret weapon." Punk said, "I mean you obviously know everything they're doing, everything they've done… so having you back with us… that's gotta be a threat to them."

"But Phil… I was the one doing things for them." AJ shook her head, "It's me who suffers the consequences. Story of my life, I know but… I'm not a secret weapon to anyone. If they go down, they're taking me with them." She said.

"But they're not gonna wanna go down. That's the point. So… strategically, they should keep themselves to themselves and move on."

"Can we really believe that?" AJ asked.

"We gotta." Punk nodded, "Otherwise how can we live our life?" He said as AJ nodded.

"I know." She said, "I'm just sick of… feeling like I'm waiting for everything to fall apart." She nodded as Punk looked across at her and nodded.

"I know." He said, "We're gonna be ok, though. I promise." He nodded as she smiled softly, "Do you still want to go see Coleen?" He asked her as she nodded.

"Yeah, I have to." AJ nodded, "I won't abandon her. She's not well and I'm the only one who can help her." She said, "She doesn't have anyone else." She said as Punk nodded.

"What are you gonna say to her?" Punk asked.

"I'm just gonna try and talk to her calmly. I know if I mention going to any sort of rehab or… mental facility then she'll just lose it on me but… I mean if I have to drag her ass there I will." AJ nodded.

"Yeah I don't think she's gonna be down to listen to you. It's just where her head is at." Punk nodded.

"How long has she been like that?" AJ asked him.

"Honestly not long." Punk said, "She was great for the first month or two. She was making sure I wasn't locking myself in my room all the time. She helped me with Raimy. Kept me company I guess." He nodded, "It was like she got interested in her role in the house, spending time with me, being there for Raimy, I think that's when she started to lose it a little." Punk nodded, "But who am I to say how she was feeling at any point? I wouldn't do that." He said, "She's obviously gone through a whole lot." He sighed as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ agreed, "I'll talk to her and see how it goes down. Somehow I don't think it'll be great." She sighed as Punk nodded.

* * *

Later that day, Punk drove AJ back to the hostel whilst Raimy was asleep in her carrier in the back seat. He wasn't going to go into the hostel but insisted on waiting outside in case anything happened.

"I don't think I'll be long." AJ admitted as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, well be careful." Punk nodded as she leaned over and kissed him sweetly, looking back into the back seats where Raimy was asleep, holding onto her giraffe, peaceful and settled.

"I'll be fine." AJ nodded to him, playing with the bottom of his hair before giving him another kiss and leaving the car, heading on into the hostel as Punk switched the engine on and turned to look into the back, smiling as he saw Raimy holding onto her giraffe as she slept.

AJ headed into the hostel and walked to Coleen's room, remembering the way from the other night, walking down the damp corridor and knocking on the door once she arrived.

She of course heard no response so decided to just walk in, pausing as she saw a man walking around, buttoning his jeans back up as AJ stared across at him. She then saw Coleen lying on the bed barely conscious.

"Here, give her this for the good time." The man got his wallet out and extended a few dollars to AJ as she looked up at him. There was absolutely no way she was letting him walk past her without suffering just a little bit.

She took the money from him just as she raised her leg between his crotch, kicking him hard where it really hurt as he collapsed and yelped onto the ground.

AJ kicked him out of the door as he rolled over, threw the money onto him and spat on him before slamming the door shut and locking it, turning over to her sister and sighing. There was no other option at this point, she needed professional and medical help.

"Coleen." AJ walked around the bed, brushing her sister's hair from her face, but it was obvious she was so high she wasn't able to string a word together, "I'm gonna get you out of here." AJ nodded.

She cleaned Coleen up and grabbed any sort of valuable things in the room, even though there wasn't much. She got Coleen to her feet even though she was wobbly, like a deer learning how to walk.

AJ supported her, putting her arm around her shoulder and helped her out of the room, walking down the corridor as Coleen looked around with rolling eyes.

AJ finally got her out of the hostel and to the car, opening up the back door and putting her in as Punk turned around.

"Is she alright?" Punk shook his head.

"No." AJ answered, strapping her in before closing the door over and getting into the front, "No, she's completely out of it. We need to… we need to take her to a hospital or a mental facility or rehab… I don't know. I don't know what to do." AJ said, starting to panic. She desperately wanted to help her sister, even if she had said some terrible things to her. She knew it wasn't her talking.

"Has she been taking stuff?" Punk asked, turning around and looking at Coleen who was unconscious.

"Yeah, clearly." AJ said, "She's gonna end up dead in that room." AJ said, "I met a guy coming out of it on my way in… pulling his pants up." She ran her hand through her hair as Punk shook his head angrily, "She needs help." She concluded firmly as Punk nodded.

"I think I know somewhere." Punk nodded as AJ turned to him.

"You know a place?" AJ shook her head.

"You trust me?" He asked her.

"Of course." AJ said without hesitation.

"I know a place." Punk nodded, starting the car and pulling away.


	66. Safe Help

**Safe Help**

* * *

"How do you know this place?" AJ shook her head, folding her arms as she sat with Punk in a reception area whilst Raimy still slept in her carrier beside Punk on the chair next to him.

"CIA perks." Punk nodded.

"It's nice." AJ raised her eyebrows, looking around at the very clean, luxurious almost hotel type lounge. It definitely didn't look like a mental health facility in any way shape or form, "You know someone who came here?" AJ turned to him as he nodded.

"I came here." He said as she looked at him, "It was a few years back. We were… working on this terrorist group in Saudi." He said, "I almost got my head cut off." He shook his head, "A few other people with us did actually die." He took a deep breath, "They made us come here for a month to get treatment after dealing with it. The facility work close with the CIA and also members of the military. Soldiers who get PTSD, that sort of stuff." He nodded to her.

"Why didn't you tell me about coming here?" She shook her head. She knew he was a man who had faced a lot of challenges, just like her, but he always kept them so private and she wished he was a little more open.

"I felt fine with it. I didn't really want to come but they made us. It was a nice break." He admitted, "And it doesn't feel like you're getting treatment or help which… I think will be good for Coleen." He nodded.

"If it's for CIA and other people then… how can we justify Coleen being here?" AJ asked him.

"I know the woman who runs the place. She's real nice." Punk nodded, "She'll be fine to stay here." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"How long did you stay here for?" AJ asked him.

"A month." Punk nodded, "To be honest, I think I needed it. It was one of those ones where I convinced myself I was fine and I'd get over it, which I would if I had to, but having a break, getting to deal with everything that happened, it did help." He nodded.

"Could do with some of this treatment myself." AJ chuckled lightly as Punk nodded.

"Tell me about it." Punk said, turning around and looking on at Raimy who was snuggled up in her carrier with her blanket and giraffe, "Sleepy baby today." Punk noticed as AJ smiled and looked over.

"She is." AJ smiled sweetly.

"You know you could have just left her." Punk said, "After what she said to you, what she did… you could have just left her but… that's not you." He said.

"It's not." AJ agreed, "She's my only family. I know what she's going through. I've been there. When you escape something like that, you just feel like you'll never be normal again." She admitted, "She's strong, I know she is but… right now she just needs a little more professional help. More help than I can give her." She said as Punk nodded.

"I think you did the right thing." Punk said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her head, "She'll get better here, trust me. The staff are incredible and they got a lot of good facilities." He nodded.

"It's a shame that… only specific people get access to this, though. I wish the state had more facilities for mental health." She nodded, "For people just like me and Coleen. I'm grateful that you can get her in here but… what about all the other people out there suffering?" She sighed to herself. Of course her mental health and everyone else's meant a great deal to her, because she knew what it felt like to suffer from poor mental health.

"One day the world will do better, I'm hoping." Punk nodded to her as she smiled, leaning into him as he hugged her tightly.

"Phil." Carrie, the head of the facility approached them as Punk stood up.

"Hey, Carrie." Punk smiled pleasantly, "I… I can't thank you enough for this, really." He nodded.

"Hey, it's ok. Anything we can do to help." Carrie smiled, a pleasant middle aged woman.

"This is my wife, April. It's her sister that we've brought." Punk said, introducing AJ.

"Hi, April." Carrie smiled.

"Thank you so much. Really." AJ nodded, "It means so much that you can help her." AJ said as Carrie smiled.

"It's no problem at all. We'll do all we can." Carrie nodded, spotting Raimy in the carrier, "Oh, who is this little one?" She said sweetly, walking over and crouching down as she looked on at the baby girl sleeping.

"That's Raimy." Punk smiled as AJ looked over. Watching people fuss over their baby daughter and how beautiful she was, was definitely something she enjoyed and was proud of.

"Oh, she's beautiful." Carrie smiled, standing back up straight, "You guys don't have to worry about Coleen. She's in safe hands here and we'll do everything we can to help her." She nodded, turning back to them.

"Should I uh… bring some clothes for her?" AJ wondered, not really knowing what else to do. She was now leaving her sister's care in someone elses trust.

"We normally ask visitors to give new arrivals a week before visiting. Just to let them get settled into the place without any disturbances." Carrie nodded, "We have everything here that she'll need, clothes, toiletries, any other things she might need." She said.

"Ok." AJ nodded. She wasn't used to having someone else help her this way, it was oddly nice to have someone so nice helping them.

"I do need a little run down from you about Coleen, what's happened to her, what she's gone through… it makes it easier for us to help her." Carrie said as AJ nodded.

"Of course." AJ said.

"I will go and get her back in the car and let you guys talk." Punk nodded, picking the carrier up, "I'll get you out there." He told AJ who nodded, "Thank you for this. I owe you." He nodded to Carrie.

"Hey, you owe me nothing." Carrie smiled as Punk left the lounge area and headed on out to their car with Raimy, "Come into my office, April." She said as AJ followed her into an office down the side of a corridor, "I won't take too much of your time."

"Oh, I got time to spare." AJ assured her, taking a seat across from the desk as Carrie sat down across.

"I just need a brief summary of your sister's problems so we can help her. That's it." Carrie nodded, "I don't need any specific details. The whole purpose of the facility here is to… I guess detox people in a way, give them their own space to heal from whatever it is they've gone through." She said as AJ nodded.

"Uh… well, me and my sister, our parents sold us when we were kids into child trafficking." AJ nodded as Carrie sighed with sadness and nodded, writing down little notes, "She was there until about four months ago. I didn't know she existed until then and I headed over to Russia and got her out. Phil got her out." AJ corrected, "There's been a lot going on I guess with me. I've not been here so uh… she's been struggling. I think everything is just catching up to her to be honest." AJ admitted as Carrie nodded, "I think she's on drugs." She nodded.

"Ok." Carrie nodded, "It sounds like your sister just hasn't dealt with a lot of what she's been through which… clearly is very traumatic." She said as AJ nodded, "I would recommend you visit her in a week. It's proven that people staying here who get visitors actually cooperate more." She said as AJ nodded.

"I will visit. Of course." AJ nodded.

"That's all I really need from you." Carrie said, "You gave all your emergency contact details to Amy at the desk, right?" She made sure.

"Yeah we did, and we filled out all the forms there too, medical stuff, a lot of forms." AJ laughed a little.

"I know tell me about it." Carrie chuckled, "You know I told him the day would come." Carrie smiled.

"What?" AJ shook her head politely.

"Phil." Carrie said, "When he was here he was adamant that he wouldn't have a family one day or find anyone. He was dedicated to his job and that was it." She nodded, "And look now." She said as AJ smiled sweetly, "Brave man. Very brave."

"Yeah." AJ agreed with a smile, "I feel… weird leaving her here." AJ admitted truthfully.

"Oh, that's normal." Carrie said, "But I can guarantee she'll be safe here." Carrie nodded.

AJ trusted her and she also trusted the facility. Most importantly, she trusted her husband who had actually spent time in the place and knew it. She was thankful that he had managed to get Coleen a place in it so she could get better.

"Ok." AJ nodded, "Well thank you for everything."

* * *

"You good?" Punk asked as AJ returned in the car.

"Yeah, I'm ok." AJ nodded, putting her seat belt on, "I just… it's hard leaving her. I know she's safe there but… it's just not a nice feeling, is it?" She sighed as Punk nodded.

"I know. But it's the best place for her where she can get help and get better. And it's somewhere I trust, take it from me. The staff are amazing and they don't handle you or take charge over you. She's gonna get everything she needs there. The proper treatment." He said as AJ nodded.

"I'm so glad." AJ sighed, "Another few days longer in that hostel and… I don't know what could have happened to her." She admitted as Punk nodded, "I'm just glad we got her here and she can get that help." She nodded.

"Me too." Punk nodded, "We can visit her in a week. I bet we'll already see such a change in her." He said as AJ nodded.

"I wish you'd told me about spending time in here." AJ said, "I mean what… you think me of all people would have judged you?" AJ shook her head.

"Of course not." Punk said, "I just… I don't know, I guess it has negative connotations, right?" He said as AJ nodded.

"No shame in asking for some help." AJ shrugged.

"I know." Punk said, "I just… never thought to bring it up. It was a while ago." He said.

"Was it just you?" AJ asked him.

"Me and Dean." Punk said, "We saw a lot of shit on that case. We needed to come here, whether we wanted to or not." He said as AJ nodded, "But you're right, no shame in asking for help." He nodded.

"What will she do in there?" AJ asked him.

"Well I guess it's different for every person who goes in. There's a section for people on drugs, for members of military, for different mental illnesses, so people can get the specific help they need." He said, "She'll probably get some therapy, but they'll also have her doing jobs around the place, keeping her busy, giving her advice… it'll be good for her." He nodded.

"I'm hoping." AJ nodded.

"We also need to lay things down with the CIA about you… magically appearing from the dead. People will want a story and I don't think we can mention Johnny without them wanting to… dig into it."

"Or we mention Johnny and say that he's dead and it's taken care of." AJ said, "Which I mean… it has. Like you said, if any of his family or people who work with him want revenge then they're just gonna end up in another war that puts them at risk." AJ nodded.

"Well we gotta get our story straight somehow." Punk said as AJ nodded, "Dean called earlier and told me about Johnny appearing dead. So I spoke to him and told him that you said he had a lot of enemies, which is true, it's what any cop would think when dealing with his murder." He said as AJ nodded.

"We gotta make sure we don't get tangled in all different stories." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"Yeah." Punk nodded, "But I think we're gonna be ok." He said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ nodded, truly believing it, turning around and looking at Raimy, "She really is sleepy, huh?" She laughed a little as Punk turned around and smiled.

"She's a sweetheart." Punk smiled, looking on at the adorable baby girl fast asleep.

"She is." AJ smiled, "Let's go home." She nodded, caressing his neck as he nodded and started the car up.


	67. Accepting Help

**Accepting Help**

* * *

"Look at your round little tummy." AJ smiled, lying down on the floor in the living room with Raimy who was lying down on her mat, kicking her legs and wiggling around a little whilst AJ tickled her tummy.

"Hey, you want some lunch?" Punk asked, walking into the living room, smiling as he saw AJ lying down on the floor with Raimy, playing with her of course only to the extent that a three month old could really play at.

They'd spent a few days at home just settling themselves and having some alone time which they so desperately needed. AJ was struggling to not think about Coleen and how she was doing at the facility which she was staying at, but she knew she was really in the best place possible.

"What you making?" AJ smiled, sitting up and crossing her legs in a basket as she collected some of Raimy's little stuffed, soft toys.

"Sandwiches or something." Punk waved his hand.

"I'll just have whatever." AJ nodded, "What time did you say Sal was coming?" She asked.

"Around 3 he said." Punk nodded, folding his arms and sitting on the arm of the chair, "You nervous?" He chuckled a little as she smiled.

"I know I never experienced getting sent to the principal's office but… I feel like this is what it would feel like." She admitted as Punk nodded.

"Yeah, I get it. But Sal is petty understanding." Punk said, "And we have our story straight which… is kinda what happened. We say you went undercover and we had to make it believable." Punk nodded.

"Just feels like we're getting caught in lie after lie all the time." AJ sighed with exhaustion.

"I know but… we're not to blame here. You were targeted, and I wish we could tell Sal that and explain everything but… we can't risk anything so it's best we keep our story straight and simple so they don't ask questions and we also don't lose our jobs." He said as AJ nodded.

"You know I was thinking." AJ said, getting to her feet and walking over to him.

"What about?" He asked her as she circled her arms around his neck whilst he placed his hands on her waist.

"We said we wanted to move here because it was a bigger place and better for Raimy but… people know where we live, and you know what I mean by that." She said as he nodded, "And our job, your job is in Virginia. I know you worked it out and you've been working from home and from the office in the city but… it'd be easier if we just… moved to Virginia." She said as Punk looked at her.

"April, you don't have to run from anything anymore." Punk reminded her.

"I'm not running." AJ assured him, "I just think we'd be safer and it's easier for us working. We could find just as nice a place there." She said. She was trying to look out for her family and what was best for them.

"I see your point." Punk agreed with her, "You'd really wanna move?"

"I would." AJ nodded, "I'd… I'd feel safer." She said, "I know with these people they find you regardless of where you go but we'd be close to the headquarters and… wouldn't it just be easier? Our friends are there too." AJ said as Punk nodded.

"It would be easier." Punk agreed.

"Like a fresh start." AJ nodded, "I feel like I've had a trillion of them." She rolled her eyes.

"We can look into it." Punk nodded.

"Really?" AJ asked, "Because if you'd rather stay here it's… it's fine-"

"No, you're right. It makes sense." He nodded, "It'd be easier for work and… it would be like a fresh start where we could forget about everything that's happened." He nodded, "We can look at places." He said as she smiled and nodded, kissing him softly as he kissed back.

"I'll go make that lunch." He pulled back.

"Ok." AJ smiled, crouching back down to Raimy, showing her the stuffed animals again as Punk watched from the door, "Your giraffe is your favourite, huh?" AJ nodded to her, "You like him." She smiled as Raimy held her giraffe, playing with the ears.

Punk smiled to himself. He'd never saw AJ happier than what she was with Raimy. He was so glad to have his family back in one piece again. They were the most important people in his life.

* * *

A week had gone by since Coleen had been in the facility and AJ was desperate to go visit her. Punk also thought it would be good for him to visit her and for them to bring Raimy to hopefully lift Coleen's spirits.

They arrived in the facility and Carrie told them that Coleen had been making slow but good progress and was accepting the visit from them which was good. They were taken to her room which was almost like a gigantic hotel room.

She was sitting over on the chairs by the window reading a book. She looked so much better, even in just a week.

"Hey." AJ nodded as Punk followed behind with Raimy in her carrier.

"Hi." Coleen smiled weakly as AJ and Punk walked over to the chairs.

"How are you?" AJ asked her, taking a seat across from her as Punk sat down beside her.

"I've been better." Coleen said, closing her book over and sitting it on the table, "What is this place?" She shook her head, "Did you put me here?" She asked.

"It's… it's a mental facility." AJ nodded.

"You guys are paying for this?" Coleen shook her head. She knew good places that looked like the place she was currently in, were never free.

"No, well… Phil knows the people here. They work with the CIA." AJ nodded, "And I thought you needed desperate help." AJ said as Coleen nodded slowly.

"The people are nice here." Coleen nodded, "It's kina weird." She admitted as AJ and Punk smiled.

"It's a good thing." AJ nodded, "I didn't bring you here because I… I wanted to just dump you and leave you. I hope you don't think that." She said as she shook her head, "I just want you to get help so you can get better and you can live your life, and learn how to deal with things in better ways." She said.

"You shouldn't want to help me after what I did." She shook her head. Now that she was in a little more clearer state of mind, she realised how wrong she had been and how her actions were very out of control.

"You're not well. You've not been in the right place and I…. I know how that feels. I wouldn't judge anyone's action whilst they've been mentally unwell." She said, "I want you to focus on getting better, ok?" AJ nodded, "We're lucky that you have this place and you have this opportunity to get better and let these people help you. I would have killed to be booked into a place like this when I was going through my shit." She nodded, "It might not seem it, but you're lucky to be here and not… not in some hostel." She said as Coleen nodded. Of course she realised that.

"Thank you." Coleen mumbled, "You could have just left me but you didn't, even after what I did, what I said." She shook her head, "You still came back for me and… I appreciate that." She nodded, "No one has ever cared about me like that." She said as AJ nodded.

"Well I do." AJ nodded, "You're my sister. It's my job to look after you. And I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you these past few months."

"I think you had your hands full with your own shit." Coleen said, "And Phil was helping me, I just never gave him the right chance." She nodded, looking to Punk who just smiled softly.

"We just want you to get better." Punk nodded. Even after everything Coleen had said and done, he knew it wasn't really her. She needed some help and they were going to support her through that.

"Even you?" Coleen asked him, "I was terrible to you." She shook her head.

"I wasn't a saint either." Punk nodded. He felt like perhaps some things he said and done perhaps encouraged her to think certain things and for that he was terribly sorry, but he was also going through his own stuff, trying to deal with losing AJ, and it was just overall a terrible time for both of them, "I know it wasn't really you." He said as Coleen nodded.

"Thank you both." Coleen nodded, playing with her hands.

"What's it like in here?" AJ smiled, "It seems really nice."

"Oh, it is." Coleen nodded, "I woke up and I thought, here we go, I'm gonna get treated like I'm a psychopath but… it's more like a hotel." She admitted, "I mean look at my room." She shook her head as they nodded, "I feel like I… like I don't deserve it." She shook her head.

AJ shook her head as she looked at her. She knew her sister clearly struggled with finding her worth, just like she had at a time in her life. She remembered feeling completely worthless and it wasn't until she found herself, found Punk, created a family, where she realised she mattered and she was worth something, even without a family, even with nothing.

"You do." AJ nodded, "You deserve to get better after what you've been through, and this is the place for it." She said, "And don't ever feel undeserving of getting help because everyone is in some shape or form." She said as Coleen smiled.

"Thank you." Coleen smiled softly, "They've got me on some medication and I'm seeing specialists and doctors." She said, "They said I could just be suffering from PTSD, depression and anxiety but they're gonna do their best to make sure I'm treated efficiently and get to the bottom of it." She said, "But honestly, I wouldn't mind staying here for a few weeks, maybe months, just to get myself back on my feet." She said. She was now well enough to know she needed help, and quite a lot of it.

"You leave here when you're ready." Punk assured her, "They'll keep you here for as long as you need and want." He said as Coleen nodded.

"I'm just glad you feel safe here." AJ sighed with relief.

"I do. It's the safest I've felt in a long time." Coleen said, "Everyone is so nice and… I actually have made a friend or two which… I wasn't even capable of before." She admitted.

AJ felt bad for not realising that Coleen would have needed some sort of treatment once they got her out of Russia. To expect her to just start living her life after going through what she did was a far reach. She was so glad she was getting that proper help now.

"Good, I'm glad you feel settled here." AJ smiled, trying not to get emotional.

"I've really missed Raimy." Coleen nodded, looking on at Raimy asleep in the carrier, "How is she?" She asked.

"She's been good." Punk nodded, "And we got everything sorted with April and the CIA. She's no longer known as dead to everyone which is good." He said as Coleen laughed a little and nodded.

"Always a plus when people know you aren't dead anymore." Coleen nodded as AJ smiled, "I'm glad you guys have it sorted, though. And I'm glad you're back and you're with Raimy." Coleen nodded as AJ smiled.

"Me too." AJ assured her, "It's the best. Getting to see her every day." She shook her head as Coleen smiled and nodded.

"I bet." Coleen smiled.

* * *

They stayed for a little while talking to Coleen. Raimy woke up and Coleen gave her the bottle as she had missed taking care of the little one. It seemed to have lifted her spirits and AJ and Punk were glad to see that she was feeling positive about being in the facility and accepting the help she obviously needed.

Punk headed on out to the car first when leaving, taking Raimy with him after giving Coleen a hug and kiss on the head. He didn't hold anything against her and what happened between them was purely because of what they were both dealing with.

"I'll be coming to visit you every week, so don't worry about that." AJ nodded, standing across from Coleen who nodded and smiled.

"You don't have to do that." Coleen said.

"No, but I want to. You're my sister." AJ said, "I should have known that you would need some treatment or at least some sort of therapy after we got you from Russia-"

"Hey, you didn't need to baby me. You had enough going on." Coleen said, "I'm here now and I'll take the help I can get." She said, "You've done enough for me already. You're the reason I'm actually getting help." She said as AJ smiled.

"And I don't hold anything against you, and I know Phil doesn't either." AJ nodded.

"I'm so sorry for what I did. He's your husband and I… it was so disrespectful of me and believe me, he never came onto me, in fact he made it very clear that he was only ever gonna love you. I think we both just… didn't know how to handle things at that point in our lives but… there's no excuse." She said, angry with herself.

"There is. You've not been yourself and you've been bottling everything up and trying to keep going but… sometimes that just doesn't work." AJ nodded, "It's ok to get some help." She assured her.

"Thank you." Coleen nodded, wrapping her arms around her sister as AJ sighed with relief and hugged her back.

"It's ok." AJ nodded, rubbing her back softly and hugging her tightly.


	68. Moved On

**Moved On**

* * *

"Oh, baby. You keep spitting up. What are you doing to me?" AJ shook her head, holding Raimy in her arms, "Huh?" She asked softly, grabbing a cloth to wipe the baby girls mouth, "You turn five months old and you think you can start spitting up on everyone, huh?" AJ teased, kissing her head as Raimy sat in her arms, reaching for more of her bottle, "Let's give it a little minute." AJ nodded.

They were in their new place in Virginia after moving in a month ago. It was a nice area and setting, and it was close to the CIA headquarters which allowed Punk more access to work properly. AJ wasn't fancying going back to work at the moment. She was way too invested in Raimy and wanted to stay at home with her as much as she could.

They had moved for the exact reason they discussed. A fresh start. A clean slate. They also felt safer in their new place as they felt like they had cut off all ties with the past and everything that had happened, even though they knew it was still a possibility they were being watched.

Raimy began to cry suddenly in AJ's arms as she turned to her, "What?" AJ frowned, "What is it? You miss daddy? Is that it?" AJ nodded, "I miss him too." She stroked her cheek, "But he'll be home… any minute." AJ looked up at the clock, "Yeah, he will." She soothed, stroking her cheek softly.

She was surprised at herself for how well she had taken to motherhood given her nature and how she lived her life. She never thought she would be as gentle as she had been being for Raimy. She felt like because of her late start at parenting, it would really suffer, but she felt like she was doing not too bad. She absolutely loved taking care of Raimy, and she was already bonding with her so well.

Coleen was still in the facility in Chicago. They visited her and explained to her all about moving to make sure she didn't feel like they were running away. They were happy to take her with them but Coleen wasn't ready to leave the facility so soon. Her and AJ spoke on the phone every day and AJ promised that when she felt better to leave, they would drive and pick her up and take her home before setting her up somewhere.

"Oh, I hear the door." AJ raised her eyebrows, looking down at Raimy who looked up at her, "I think that's daddy." She nodded as Punk walked down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Hey." Punk smiled as Raimy turned her head a little and looked up at him.

"I think she's been waiting on you, honestly." AJ nodded as Punk smiled.

"Hi, baby." Punk smiled, lifting her from AJ into his arms, "How are you? Have you had a nice day?" Punk asked, sitting down at the table.

"Here, she's not finished the rest of her bottle." AJ said, sliding the bottle across to him as he nodded. She was slightly jealous of how wonderful her husband was with Raimy. It seemed so effortless for him to be the best father ever. She was so lucky she had him by her side to raise her. Raimy absolutely loved him. They napped together, she giggled at him, smiled at him, preferred him feeding and changing her. They were definitely a troublesome duo in AJ's opinion, but she loved it.

"What'd you get up to today?" Punk asked, giving Raimy the rest of her bottle and leaning over to give his wife a sweet kiss as she smiled.

"Honestly not much." AJ said, "When you left I just got up and had a shower before she woke up and then we went to the store. Came back and made lunch. She had a nap. I called Coleen. I was on the phone with her for about an hour." She nodded.

"So overall a chaotic day?" Punk teased as she smiled.

"Oh, it was the worst." AJ rolled her eyes sarcastically as he smiled, "I'm serious, though. She was acting up there I think it's because she knew you were coming."

"Hey, well we don't act up on mommy." Punk said, looking down at Raimy as AJ smiled.

"How was work?" AJ asked him.

"It was ok." Punk nodded, "You know what, though… the difference in actually having the headquarters there with all the resources." He said as AJ nodded, "It's unbelievable."

"I thought so." AJ nodded, "I bet the guys are glad to have you back too." AJ smiled.

"Yeah, they are. It was no use really, me working from home. I couldn't get enough done." He admitted as AJ nodded, "They were wondering when you'd be coming back to join us?" He smiled as AJ laughed a little.

"They're just figuring out how long they got left before I come back and annoy them." AJ smirked.

"No." Punk scoffed.

"Honestly, Phil. I don't know if I'll even go back." AJ said as Punk looked across at her, "Yes, I know it's an amazing career and the money is… unbelievably good but-"

"And you're ridiculously talented and suited to that job." Punk added.

"Right but… I don't think it's what I actually enjoy." AJ admitted, "I've told myself it is only because I'm good at it but… I don't know, maybe it's because I have Raimy now or because I was kidnapped for three months." She shook her head, "The violence and the mind games… it's exhausting." She sighed as Punk looked across at her.

"Never thought that'd come from you." He admitted.

"Well there you go." AJ said, "And I don't think I could go back into that building and stand in that elevator that I almost bled out to death and gave birth in." AJ shook her head.

"Yeah, everyone takes the stairs now." Punk said as AJ shook her head, "Hey, babe look if you don't wanna work there then it's fine. You choose what you wanna do. We have… more than enough money to only have me working and I don't mind."

"Oh, no I need to work." AJ laughed, "I'll go out of my mind." She said as Punk smiled.

They were in a fortunate position where they did have money. Punk earned very good money and AJ also had an ungodly amount of money which was given to her from the Russian government. She felt like it was blood money, but nonetheless, it was still in their accounts.

"What'd you wanna do?" Punk asked her.

"I have no idea." AJ said, "I just feel like this is my chance to do something normal, for once in my life." She shook her head, "I mean I was so close to normality. I was so close to having a baby, giving birth, becoming a mom… and then like everything else in my life it went to shit." She said, "Now we're here, I just want to live a normal life." She shook her head.

"Hey whatever you want to do, I'll support it, you know I will." He nodded as she smiled.

"You're the best." AJ said as Punk smiled.

"You hear that, Raims?" Punk looked down at Raimy, "Mommy says I'm the best. Remember that. Whenever you hear us arguing and mommy is trying to make a point, just remember she said I'm the best." He nodded.

"Raimy more than anyone else is gonna realise that me and her will always be right. Even when we're wrong, we'll be right. That's something you'll have to get used to, my sweetheart." AJ told him.

"Trust me, I know." Punk smiled as AJ stood up, putting her coffee cup by the sink, opening the drawer and taking out the cigarettes, walking over to the back door and lighting up as Punk looked over, "How is that patch coming along?" He hummed.

"Just don't look at me and it won't exist." She said as he laughed. She was finding it a little difficult to quit the habit she'd picked up during the stress when she was in Germany. She'd try patches, gum and even just plain and simple quitting but it was terribly hard. She wasn't doing it because she was stressed anymore, it had just become a habit and she hated it.

"You know I don't care if you smoke." Punk said. He hoped she wasn't desperately trying to stop just for him and his beliefs.

"I know you don't, but I do. I won't have Raimy growing up around me smoking." AJ said, "This is my last one."

"You say that quite a lot." Punk nodded.

"I mean it with this one." AJ nodded as Punk just smiled.

"Ok, alright." Punk nodded.

"I'll try the gum again." She said.

"Dean quit smoking. I could ask him." Punk said as AJ nodded.

"Yeah." AJ said, "What's the big thing with you anyway? Living such a clean lifestyle?" AJ asked him, "I know you parents were junkies but… is that really it?" She asked, of course not being discrete as ever, which he loved.

"That and growing up in an orphanage… people would bring shit in all the time and get out of their faces. I just never saw the point or the need." He admitted truthfully, sitting Raimy's empty bottle down as he began to wind her.

"I was in an all-girls orphanage which was… very strict so… I guess I should thank my lucky stars I wasn't exposed to any of that." She said sarcastically as Punk nodded.

"Is that how you started liking girls?" Punk asked her as she turned to him, watching him smirk as she rolled her eyes.

"If people are gay or lesbian, it's because it's who they are, not because they've been forced into that environment." She corrected him, even though he was just asking so they could get onto the subject, "But… maybe." She shrugged, "I always thought it was because I spent my childhood being… forced on by men, I thought all men were like that." She said, "So I… I found comfort in girls." She shrugged.

"Do you have a preference?" He was scared to ask even though he was smiling.

She turned to him and laughed a little, "My preference is Phil Brooks, baby." She smirked, "Don't doubt that." She said as he laughed a little.

"I'll take that answer." He smiled as she stubbed out her cigarette and closed the door over.

"I'll change her if you want to go get a shower." AJ nodded as Punk stood up and passed Raimy to her. They worked well together as a team to take care of Raimy, and it was everything they imagined it'd be.

"Are you saying I smell?" Punk smiled.

"No, I'm saying… maybe she'll go down for a nap and I can join you." She smiled biting her lip as he nodded.

"You best put your best sleeping voodoo on her then." He said, wrapping his arm around her as they walked out of the kitchen and headed upstairs.

* * *

"Mom, tell me what to do and I'll do it." Cal nodded, standing in the living room whilst Teresa sat sipping on her whiskey in silence, "I mean we have to do something, don't we?" He said, "Dad is dead."

"You're giving me a damn migraine." Teresa said, downing the rest of her whiskey, standing up and walking over to the mini bar to pour herself another, "We do nothing." She warned him.

"What?" Cal shook her head, "We know where they are. We can kill them. Or kill him at least. He's the one who did this." He said.

"No." Teresa shook her head, "I don't want anyone watching them. Leave them be." Teresa said, "For just now." She said, "I make the decisions around here now so what I say, goes." She said as Cal looked across at her.

"What do you mean for now?" Cal shook his head, "They're the reason dad is dead. We need to make them pay. Our way."

"Trust me. It'll be much more satisfying when they've been given a taste of life and how sweet it is to be free." Teresa said, "And that's when we take it all away. If there is one thing your father taught me, is torture someone when they're at their happiest, because it makes absolutely everything crumble around them." She said, "Give them a few years." She waved her hand.

"Years?" Cal shook his head.

"Yes. Years." Teresa spat, "We have a business to run anyway and we need to pick up everything that your father left. I don't have time to be ruining other people's lives right now." She said, "Later. But now." She said as Cal looked across at her, "You do as I say. I'm the boss now. Forget about them until I say so." She said as Cal just nodded slowly.

"They'll get what's coming to them one day." Teresa nodded, downing another whiskey.

* * *

 **A/N: So this is the end of this story. Obviously there will be a sequel so stay tuned for that! Hope you guys enjoyed, thanks for supporting and reviewing! I'll be back.**


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